How do you make time to learn something new to enhance your practice?

Margaret Chisolm, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

I use Twitter in “found time” (on elevators, waiting in line) to stay up to date with evidence-based practices, and to learn from/be inspired by patients, families, learners, and clinician role models.

Michael Crocetti, MD, Johns Hopkins Community Physicians

Finding time to learn new things takes commitment, some planning, and a willingness to explore different learning modalities.

I take advantage of the specialty-specific emails that link to updates on medical management of diseases or new discoveries. These are typically brief easy reads.

I also do online webinars available to me through my work to enhance my learning.

I routinely review the contents of my major specialty journals and review articles looking for topics pertinent to my daily clinical responsibilities. If I find relevant articles I print them and keep them for later, reading at home in the evening or on weekends.

Finally, during my clinical day I often search UpToDate online to learn about diagnosis and management of problems I am seeing in the office. Using multiple learning modalities you can carve out dedicated time for lifelong learning that allows you to have a balanced work/life integration.

Mike Fingerhood, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Usually, an event-trigger: an idea from an encounter with a patient, or a conversation with a colleague, or at a medical meeting/conference.

Panagis Galiatsatos, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

I’ve come to appreciate social media and following certain medical societies and researchers. Articles that are both new and relevant to my practice often gravitate into my filtered feed, and then I make a point to read them! This has allowed me to maintain insight into the medical zeitgeist, culminating in a declaration of contemporary knowledge that helps my practice.

Paula Neira, MSN, JD, RN

I travel frequently as part of my responsibilities. I plan on using my time in transit on the train or on an airplane to catch up on professional reading.