C L O S L E R
Moving Us Closer To Osler
A Miller Coulson Academy of Clinical Excellence Initiative

Happy Arbor Day! What or where’s your favorite tree and why is it meaningful?

A beautiful branch of a flowering dogwood tree.

Takeaway

Dogwood, redbud, magnolia, sugar maple, pine, willow, and birch, just to name a few!

Passion in the Medical Profession | April 30, 2021 | <1 min read

Highlights

Dogwood is the state tree of my home state of Missouri and my mama's favorite flowering tree. I can’t look at one without thinking of her.

Dr. Mariah Robertson, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Blooming magnolias mark the start of spring!

Margot Kelly-Hedrick, med student, Duke University

I've never met a tree I didn't like!

Dr. David Kopacz, University of Washington

We have a tree in our front yard “the Barkley tree.” Barkley was our pup who died and was cremated. The tree bloomed incredibly well the season after he died. You can probably figure out why! Love that tree!

Dr. Eric Last

Growing up, I spent long summer hours in a tree near my home, in it's shade, up on a branch, reading a book or daydreaming. It’s the Royal Poinciana or Gulmohar (Hindi).

Dr. Valmika Varma, University of Arizona

Pine trees! They remind me of my home in California and the pine needles when they fall on the trails that we run on are like nature's carpet.

Dr. Ambereen Mehta, Johns Hopkins Medicine

All of them. I can’t pick one. I feel like I can communicate with them on some level.

Dr. Colleen Christmas, Johns Hopkins Medicine

A corkscrew willow, it's shaped like a corkscrew!

Kim Simmers Williams, Admin Specialist, CLOSLER

The dozen white pines that my dad planted along the driveway of our home in Belfast, Maine, a quarter of a century ago. My dad died 11 years ago, and tiny trees he planted in the 90s are now towering pines that give privacy to our home where my brother now lives with his family.

Gretchen Miller, MS, CLOSLER Managing Editor

Definitely the big old tree that you walk by every time you go between the Bayview hospital building and my office in the Mason Lord Building on campus. It has wide and tall branches that provide shade and an especially clean breath of fresh air when I walk below it. It's clearly older than any of us who work at Bayview and reminds me of how many others who have worked and been cared for on our campus over the years.

Dr. Laura Hanyok, Johns Hopkins Medicine

A big weeping willow that’s planted at the coast of a lake near me. Seeing its leaves gently sway with the cool breeze of the water always brings such peace.

Jocelyn Lee, CLOSLER Facebook Intern, Toronto

I've loved birch trees since childhood. The trunks communicate with their own hieroglyphs.

Dr. Megan Berger

Aspen trees when they turn gold in the fall. For me, they represent quality family time, our favorite hike, and perfect Colorado weather. 

Shauna Maty, med student, St. George University

A tree in our front yard heralds the start of spring when it starts to bloom and it’s so pretty.

Dr. Erica Markovitz

Japanese bluebell has beautiful blooms for a brief two weeks, like a rainbow that only comes once a year, it's so special.

Dr. Christina Prather

Redbuds because they’re the first color in early spring. Sugar maple because it’s the state tree of West Virginia. Flowering crabapples and dogwoods because they’re beautiful.

Dr. Emily Fridenmaker

Sycamore trees are my absolute favorite. I'm always amazed at how beautiful and unique the bark is, it reminds me of a mosaic!

Michelle Gyenes, med student, Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland

A mango tree in my backyard. It makes me so happy to watch the fruit ripen in the sun, harvest it from the tree, and find delicious recipes for it or enjoy it plain! It helps me feel connected to the earth.

Dr. Elizabeth Gundersen, Florida Atlantic University

Growing up,  the Royal Poinciana or Gulmohar (Hindi) was my favorite tree. I spent long summer hours in its shade, up on a branch, reading a book, or daydreaming.

Dr. Malvika Varna, University of Arizona

Dr. Mariah Robertson, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Dogwood is the state tree of my home state of Missouri and my mama’s favorite flowering tree. I can’t look at one without thinking of her.

 

Margot Kelly-Hedrick, med student, Duke University

Blooming magnolias mark the start of spring!

What do you think?

Do you want to add to the conversation? Please share!

Dr. David Kopacz, University of Washington

I’ve never met a tree I didn’t like! But I have always been fond of the trees from Lime Kiln State Park, Washington.

Dr. Eric Last

We have a tree in our front yard “the Barkley tree.” Barkley was our pup who died and was cremated. The tree bloomed incredibly well the season after he died. You can probably figure out why! Love that tree!

Dr. Valmika Varma, University of Arizona

Growing up, I spent long summer hours in a tree near my home, in it’s shade, up on a branch, reading a book or daydreaming. It’s the Royal Poinciana or Gulmohar (Hindi). I haven’t seen one in a while. #missinghome

Dr. Ambereen Mehta, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Pine trees! They remind me of my home in California and the pine needles when they fall on the trails that we run on are like nature’s carpet.

Dr. Colleen Christmas, Johns Hopkins Medicine

I love trees so much. All of them. I can’t pick one. I feel like I can communicate with them on some level.

Kim Simmers Williams, Admin Specialist, CLOSLER

A corkscrew willow, it’s shaped like a corkscrew!

 

Gretchen Miller, MS, CLOSLER Managing Editor

The dozen white pines that my dad planted along the driveway of our home in Belfast, Maine, a quarter of a century ago. My dad died 11 years ago, and tiny trees he planted in the 90s are now towering pines that give privacy to our home where my brother now lives with his family. The pine tree is also the state tree of Maine and the white pine tassel the state flower. The white pine population is slowly creeping north to Canada due to global warming. In a century, stately pines will no longer be the dominant tree of the forests and will be replaced by deciduous trees of the Mid Atlantic and South.

Dr. Laura Hanyok, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Definitely the big old tree that you walk by every time you go between the Bayview hospital building and my office in the Mason Lord Building on campus. It has wide and tall branches that provide shade and an especially clean breath of fresh air when I walk below it. It’s clearly older than any of us who work at Bayview and reminds me of how many others who have worked and been cared for on our campus over the years.

Jocelyn Lee, CLOSLER Facebook Intern, Toronto

A big weeping willow that’s planted at the coast of a lake near me. Seeing its leaves gently sway with the cool breeze of the water always brings such peace. I love going there by myself to meditate and get fresh air.

Dr. Megan Berger

I’ve loved birch trees since childhood. The trunks communicate with their own hieroglyphs, I see something new every time I look at the same tree, and they thrive at altitude (I love hiking and skiing).

Shauna Maty, med student, St. George University

Aspen trees when they turn gold in the fall. For me, they represent quality family time, our favorite hike, and perfect Colorado weather. 

Dr. Erica Markovitz

A tree in our front yard heralds the start of spring when it starts to bloom and it’s so pretty.

Dr. Christina Prather

Japanese bluebell has beautiful blooms for a brief two weeks, like a rainbow that only comes once a year, it’s so special. And I’ve only ever seen one at my mom’s house, making it all the more spectacular!

Dr. Emily Fridenmaker

Redbuds because they’re the first color in early spring. Sugar maple because it’s the state tree of West Virginia. Flowering crabapples and dogwoods because they’re beautiful.

Michelle Gyenes, med student, Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland

Sycamore trees are my absolute favorite. I’m always amazed at how beautiful and unique the bark is, it reminds me of a mosaic!

Dr. Elizabeth Gundersen, Florida Atlantic University

A mango tree in my backyard. It makes me so happy to watch the fruit ripen in the sun, harvest it from the tree, and find delicious recipes for it or enjoy it plain! It helps me feel connected to the earth.

Dr. Malvika Varna, University of Arizona

Growing up,  the Royal Poinciana or Gulmohar (Hindi) was my favorite tree. I spent long summer hours in its shade, up on a branch, reading a book, or daydreaming. I haven’t seen one in a while. #missinghome