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Moving Us Closer To Osler
A Miller Coulson Academy of Clinical Excellence Initiative
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Creative Arts in Medicine
Connecting with Patients
Passion in the Medical Profession
Lifelong Learning in Clinical Excellence
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May 31, 2018 | 6 min read

Tips for Taking Care of Patients, From a Physician Who’s Been One

By Scott Vasher, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

The lessons I learned from being hospitalized have stuck with me and guided me in all of my practice.

November 25, 2024 | 2 min read

Minimizing the risks of teen social media use

By Sarah Radtke, PhD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Prioritize open dialogue with patients about social media use, focusing on its impact on mental and emotional well-being. 

June 6, 2024 | 2 min read

Attention please 

By Carol Vidal, MD, PhD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

To connect more meaningfully, clinicians need to be more interesting than a young person’s phone. Finding creative ways to engage these patients will improve the relationship. 

June 26, 2018 | 1 min read

Harnessing Digital Technology for Clinical Excellence

By Margaret Chisolm, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Digital technology can be leveraged for the greater good of clinically excellent patient care. Social media tools like Twitter enable you to connect with healthcare stakeholders from around the world.

"Heart Meditation," original painting by the author. Copyright by the author.

March 19, 2020 | 3 min read

Returning to Medicine of the Heart During a Pandemic

By David Kopacz, MD, University of Washington

How can we practice the kind of medicine that we so desperately need right now? Perhaps it is time to return to a medicine of the heart and of the soul.

February 21, 2023 | 1 min read

Lessons From The Novel “Sharks in The Time of Saviors”

By Margaret Olsen Hemming

This book may resonate with clinicians as it explores the complex process of healing—the rewards of its successes, as well as the toll of its limitation. 

Artwork by Megan Gerber. Copyright by Megan Gerber.

February 3, 2020 | 5 min read

Joyful Deficiencies

By Megan Gerber, MD, MPH, Albany Medical College

Creative expression can provide needed counterbalance to the outcomes-driven world of medicine.

November 2, 2022 | 2 min read

Psychedelics to Quit Smoking?

By Matthew Johnson, PhD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Patients may ask about using psilocybin to stop smoking. While being actively studied, please remind them that it’s still illegal and not necessarily risk-free. 

February 6, 2020 | 2 min read

Navigating Masculinity in Medicine

By Kultaj Kaleka, MD, RN, Central Michigan University

The clinically excellent physician understands that male patients may need support sharing their perspectives.

"Odysseus in front of Scylla and Charybdis." Henry Fuseli. 1794-1796. Public domain.

November 7, 2019 | 4 min read

Responsible Opioid Prescribing

By Travis Rieder, PhD, Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics

Responsible opioid prescribing requires navigating between the Scylla of over-prescribing and the Charybdis of under-prescribing. Clinicians can work toward this goal by initiating prescriptions when (and only when) appropriate, managing them over the long-term, and knowing how to compassionately deprescribe when the time comes.

October 17, 2019 | 1 min read

Highs and Lows

By Kimberly Turner, MD, Johns Hopkins Community Physicians

The clinically excellent physician is always fully present with their patients. Sometimes there is the joy of a healthy new baby, and other times there is despair.

May 3, 2022 | 5 min read

10 Pearls From Clinician Exemplars

By Ralph Hruban, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

We have much to learn from those who came before us. One example is working toward equity in healthcare, including fighting sexism and racism. 

September 3, 2019 | 2 min read

“Hand-holding”

By Colleen Leavitt, MD, Johns Hopkins Community Physicians

Personalized care softens the edges of a one-size-fits-all medical system that perpetuates inequities. For some, clinicians and the healthcare system need to be able to step-up and take actions that support their patients' health.

April 27, 2022 | 2 min read

Listening to Your Patient’s Grief

By Avani Prabhakar, MBBS, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine

By listening to a patient’s story of loss, we bear witness and affirm their experience. 

August 29, 2019 | 2 min read

Mindful Doctoring in the EHR Era

By Irene Estores, MD, University of Florida College of Medicine

Mindfulness is essential in clinical excellence. Consider these five tips while working with the EHR.

The author having fun ice skating with colleagues at Patterson Park, Baltimore, Maryland.

February 25, 2019 | 5 min read

General Internal Medicine: An Opportunity to Engage Holistically

By Paul O'Rourke, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

General internal medicine focuses on the importance of knowing and treating the whole patient. The entire patient, in their biopsychosocial context, must always be considered to provide high-quality, patient-centered care.

November 24, 2021 | 4 min read

What I Learned When I Deleted my Social Media

By Tyler Mains, MD, University of California, San Francisco

When I stopped checking Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, I created a boundary between myself and the never-ending stream of noise and emotion. I now have more bandwidth to empathize with my patients’ feelings.

October 26, 2021 | 3 min read

What is The Scope of a Clinician’s Work?

By Margaret Chisolm, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

We must help our patients achieve a state where body, mind, and spirit are working as a whole. We can help them do more than survive. Let’s help them thrive!

May 16, 2018 | 2 min read

The Stigma of Opioid Use Disorder

By Margaret Chisolm, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Building a strong therapeutic alliance between patient and clinician—via open communication, mutual respect, and trust—is a lifeline for the individual patient with an Opioid Use Disorder.

June 11, 2024 | 2 min read

From pizza pans to pain plans 

By Christle Nwora, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

For young adults transitioning to adult care, building trust and rapport is crucial. With permission, it may be helpful to continue involving parents in care plans to improve health outcomes.  

"My patient dreamed of walking with me at the seashore and staying up late chatting. That dream was an escape, a mental vacation, and a balm for her wounds."

April 19, 2021 | 2 min read

Let Your Patient Dream

By Zeina Moukarzel, MD, MPH, Beirut, Lebanon

From my young patient about to have all of her limbs amputated, I learned about compassion and courage.

May 7, 2024 | 1 min read

Shifting careers

By Zeina Moukarzel, MD, MPH, Beirut, Lebanon

As healthcare professionals, there are multiple ways to have a positive impact on the world. If and when you step away from patient care, thoughtfully consider what will bring fulfillment and purpose. 

December 7, 2020 | 3 min read

Flipping the Switch

By Swathi Raman, MD, MPH, LifeBridge Health, Maryland

Shifting away from needing external validation can promote wellness. Self-reflection and awareness of our internal monologue may help with internal validation and improve feelings of self-worth.

One way to fight ableism it to ensure that all conferences and events are wheelchair accessible.

October 14, 2020 | 2 min read

How Language Can Fight Ableism

By Harry Paul (he/him), MD/PhD student, Johns Hopkins Medicine

The first step to being an ally for the disabled community is to educate yourself about the meaning of your word choice.

July 25, 2018 | 2 min read

The Joy of Realizing You Were Wrong and the Importance of Believing in Recovery for All

By Angela Guarda, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Helping patients change unhealthy behaviors can feel challenging, but what feels like today’s failure can be tomorrow’s story of recovery.

December 19, 2023 | 3 min read

Spinoza and 21st-century medicine

By Jonathan McFarland, Medical Humanist, Autonomous University of Madrid & University of Pompeu Fabra

I learned about the mind-body connection from the philosopher Spinoza. A holistic clinical approach emphasizes the relationship between mental well-being and physical health. 

February 16, 2024 | 1 min read

Patients and politics

By Mike Fingerhood, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Patient-initiated political statements may make healthcare professionals feel uncomfortable. Thoughtful strategies, like redirection, can keep the focus on patient care.

June 29, 2020 | 2 min read

Lessons From the AIDS Epidemic

By Melinda Kantsiper, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

In times of crisis, it can be helpful to listen and learn from the stories of those who have come before us.

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