Surgeons: prepare three answers before the interview.

Make the first answer useful.

A journalist may call because a procedure, study, or health question is in the news. Before the interview, write down the one question a patient or family member is most likely to ask. Prepare an answer in two or three plain sentences. Start with what the audience needs to understand, then add the medical detail that makes the explanation accurate.

Prepare a second answer about context.

Medical decisions depend on the person and the circumstances. Consider what a general audience could easily misunderstand about the topic and prepare a short explanation of that limitation. For example, rather than treating an approach as right for everyone, explain that suitability depends on an individual evaluation. Stay within your area of expertise and avoid making a diagnosis for someone you have not evaluated.

Make the third answer actionable.

Identify one question a person could bring to their own clinician. For a discussion of treatment choices, that might be: “What are the benefits, risks, and alternatives in my situation?” A useful question gives the audience a next step without replacing a conversation with their care team.

Practice out loud.

Read all three answers aloud once. If a sentence needs a second breath, try shortening it. Replace unexplained technical terms with ordinary language, then check that the simplified version still means what you intend. Keep a short note nearby with the three questions, not a script you have to recite.

Protect the story and the patient.

Confirm any figures or study details before citing them. If a journalist asks about a patient experience, use a specific story only when the appropriate permission and privacy requirements have been addressed. You can also explain an issue in general terms or use a clearly hypothetical example. The goal is a clear, accurate conversation that respects the people behind the medicine.