THE CHALLENGE: To give Harvard doctors an opportunity to explore the world of medicine in unexpected ways

THE SOLUTION: The theme of the special report—Harvard and Hollywood—allowed us to present thoughtful essays on medicine—and on life—while at the same time entertaining our readers. To complement several serious essays, for example, we included two downright frivolous pieces: an exploration of what the fictional graduates in film and on television reveal about attitudes toward Harvard Medical School and a tongue-in-cheek offering of Hollywood role models for our graduates.

Of course, one risk in running special reports is the potential loss of readers who don’t find the topic compelling. So, in addition to a range of departments, we offered two unrelated features: a look at the potential loss of a shrinking biodiversity to the world of medicine and a quiz on quotations from Harvard Medical School graduates and faculty members.

THE RESPONSES: Readers responded to the issue enthusiastically. In addition, the issue was one of two that garnered a gold medal from the Council for Advancement and the Support of Education. “The magazines that the judges fought over were the ones invariably selected as winners; we wanted to take them home and read them for pleasure,” the judges’ report read. “They were topical, intelligent, well-designed, and took their subjects seriously without taking themselves too seriously.

“Harvard Medical Alumni Bulletin, our Gold winner, is a prime example. The covers were enticing, with good use of graphics and sell lines, and the writing was both thoughtful and, at times, playful. Story subject was excellent and showed a lot of imagination on the editorial staff’s part to proactively come up with story ideas rather than waiting for the stories to come to them. The magazine’s design more than compensates for not having a four-color budget, with clever use of spot color and screens. It is simply a great magazine that we all wanted to take home and read.”