Medical Narration
What was it like growing up with a chemist father and becoming a medical narrator?
My journey to become an expert medical narrator began much earlier than one might suspect. Several years before I was born, my father earned his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Biophysics. He went on to create a flourishing career as a clinical chemist. As he likes to explain, that means when you go to your doctor’s office and they tell you they will be sending your specimens to the lab— that’s him. His profession took him from working as a practicing chemist at companies like DuPont and SmithKline Beecham to executive positions in a multi hospital laboratory system and board memberships, before forming his own consultancy practice. Our family vacations were often anchored by professional conferences like the AACC (American Association for Clinical Chemistry), [now known as the ADLM (Association for Diagnostic & Laboratory Medicine)], where he was a frequent speaker.
As a professional voiceover artist who specializes in healthcare narration, I was fortunate to have a bit of a leg up in the often complicated terminology that can populate this genre because I grew up hearing and saying the words. The jargon doesn’t phase me at all, I have an innate capacity to look at multisyllabic technical terms and instantly know how they are pronounced.
When it was time for me to choose my own professional lane, it was immediately clear to me that I would be the artsy daughter of a scientist father. I was entranced by languages and literature, so my Bachelor’s degree is in English and French. As an actor, I take joy in the way language can be used to convey emotion and to educate— for instance, to reassure a patient scared of a new diagnosis and looking for a pathway to healing. Studying French meant that I needed to understand its Latin roots in order to comprehend the fundamental word structure and parse out meanings of unfamiliar terms. This transferrable skill also has proven useful in my work as a healthcare narrator, as I’m able to delve into the etymology of the scientific terms that are utilized in this field and make sure they hit the ear of the consumer with nuance and care.
The first audition I booked with my first agency was for a global pharmaceutical company that produces treatment for HIV. I recorded the commercial in November, and within a few months it debuted on the Grammy’s. For the next several years, I went on to serve as the brand voice of that company— the voice actor trusted with their corporate identity, everywhere from nationally televised Class A commercials to digital explainer videos to long form ISI’s (Important Safety Information),
Over the course of my career, I have recorded corporate narration for international corporations and regional hospitals, as well as informative stories about individual patients who utilize a particular medication. I’ve done work promoting innovative surgeries, interventions in cancer treatment, pediatric care, insurance coverage, and cardiological innovations. In a full circle moment, I was hired to be the voice of an arthritis medication after watching my father serve as the president of the board of The Arthritis Foundation when I was in high school.
As a mature female voice with a warm alto tone, I can be the compassionate voice of care, or convey an authoritative gravitas. I am able to approach a campaign from all sides. Whether you are a doctor learning about a new medical device, a pharmacist getting to know how to use a new discount card, a company promoting clinical trial results, or a patient obtaining information on a medical procedure, I can handle all of the multiple permutations of healthcare communications.
If you are interested in hiring an experienced medical narrator for your business, I’d love to learn about what you’re working on.
I am a full-time voice talent with a broadcast quality home studio. I’m able to provide lightning fast turn around on most projects, with collaborative live directed sessions available. For casting, please email hire@voicebyshani.com, or contact my agents at CESD (New York) or SBV (Los Angeles).
I look forward to our work together.