Takeaway
Warning, if you begin the “Dept Q” series, you won’t be able to stop! By the time you finish reading these books, you’ll be a more compassionate person and a better healthcare professional.
Lifelong Learning in Clinical Excellence | August 21, 2025 | 2 min read
By Scott Wright, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine
Many of my patients know I love to read; this is probably because sometimes I share lessons from books with them, make recommendations, or lend out some softcovers. In return and deservedly, I receive much advice about who and what to read.
One long-time patient had been urging me to read Jussi Adler-Olsen’s “Department Q” series for several years. For some reason, launching into a series of 10 dark crime novels (translated to English) set in Denmark was a commitment that I kept on putting off. At our last visit two months ago when he again asked me what I thought of it, I ventured to read the first book. It was awesome. I breezed through all 10 books and wish there were more.
The compelling themes and character dynamics offered many insights relevant to the practice of medicine. Here are seven lessons from the series that could inform better patient care:
1. Look beneath the surface.
Detective Carl Mørck often deals with cold cases that were closed after superficial inquiry but remained deeply unresolved. Similarly, healthcare professionals shouldn’t be satisfied with surface-level attention to detail regarding persistent symptoms or abnormal findings; we must dig deeper to look for the root causes—especially when something doesn’t feel right.
2. Value the power of persistence.
Department Q is defined by its resolute determination to find the truth or answers, even in cases long forgotten. In patient care, persistence in follow-up, diagnostics, and advocacy—especially for complex or marginalized patients—can make the difference between overlooked and lifesaving care.
3. Work as a team—and respect differences.
Dept Q’s core trio (Carl, Assad, and Rose) are wildly different in temperament and background, yet their diverse perspectives help them solve complex cases. In medicine, valuing the insights of the whole care team—particularly those from different disciplines (with different approaches and philosophies)—may improve outcomes.
4. Trauma isn’t always visible.
The author developed many characters that carry significant, hidden psychological wounds. As in the novels, patients may present with vague or somatic symptoms masking deeper trauma, grief, or abuse. The trauma-informed lens fosters safety and an approach for serving our patients with more compassion.
5. Be curious about “unsolved cases.”
Department Q’s strength lies in their curiosity—they repeatedly ask: “What was missed? Who wasn’t heard from?” In medicine, we must also revisit patients who “fell through the cracks” or whose outcomes were suboptimal. Continuous learning and reflective practice are key to growth.
6. Compassion fuels justice.
The Dept Q team is especially committed to justice for the voiceless. Healthcare professionals, too, can advocate for those whose voices are diminished by illness, inequity, or bias. Compassion is one of the moral compasses that should guide clinical practice and decisions.
7. People are so much more than just their past
The series shows how people can grow, adapt, or redeem themselves—even after great trauma. In patient care, it’s essentially that we remember never to reduce people to their worst moment, diagnosis, or addiction—healing must include respect, hope, and dignity.
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This piece expresses the views solely of the author. It does not represent the views of any organization, including Johns Hopkins Medicine.