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.

February 1, 2021 | 2 min read

The Emperor’s New Curtains

By Charlotte Squires, MBChB, Borders General Hospital, Scotland

Clinically excellent physicians consider the setting of private conversations with patients and families. Quiet rooms with a door that closes are ideal for sensitive discussions.

July 17, 2023 | 3 min read

Choreographing Clinical Care

By Hanghang Wang, MD, PhD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Exceptional patient care is akin to a ballet performance. Synergistic team interactions, thoughtful decisions, and deliberate actions are all critical steps in the dance of patient care. 

May 9, 2022 | 2 min read

Talking With Patients About Their Online Research

By Rebekah Fenton, MD, Northwestern University

Patients’ online research may leave them wondering if they have a particular disease. Listen to their concerns, normalize their fears, and provide reputable resources. And remember, sometimes they’re right.  

February 27, 2025 | 2 min read

Behind the mirror: teen eating disorders 

By Jasmine Reese, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine

You don't have to be an eating disorder specialist to make a difference; every healthcare professional can play a vital role in early intervention. Knowing local resources and showing compassion can guide patients toward recovery. 

March 5, 2019 | 3 min read

From Film School to Medical School (Part 3 of 3)

By Margaret Chisolm, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Using both words and images, John Berger and Jean Mohr's photo-essay, "A Fortunate Man," provides an intimate glimpse into the role of the doctor: "To cure sometimes, to relieve often, and to comfort always."

July 22, 2021 | <1 min read

Responding Instead of Reacting

By Avani Prabhakar, MBBS, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine

When confronted publicly by a colleague, I learned that it is helpful to respond calmly instead of reacting defensively. This strategy will allow us to move forward.

January 8, 2024 | 3 min read

Combatting the syphilis epidemic 

By Zach Lorenz, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Rates of syphilis and other sexually transmitted infections are skyrocketing. It’s imperative that we have candid conversations with patients about their sexual behaviors. 

August 12, 2025 | 2 min read

Safe and sound care   

Now more than ever, create an affirming healthcare environment for LGBTQIA+ patients by using respectful language and addressing unique care needs.  

September 24, 2019 | 1 min read

Counseling Patients on the Dangers of E-cigarettes

E-cigarettes pose unique health risks. Screening and informing our patients of these concerns is imperative.

October 17, 2022 | 2 min read

Working With The Media For The Public Good

By Maria Simbra, MD

Clinicians can communicate health messages effectively by using memorable stories to share the main message and understanding the reporter’s constraints.  

December 20, 2021 | 1 min read

What Patients With Serious Illness Want to Know Most

By Avani Prabhakar, MBBS, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine

After receiving a terminal diagnosis, many patients especially want to know how long they have to live, what symptoms to expect, and how to cope with impending decline.  

July 10, 2024 | 2 min read

Lessons from earlier in life: bagging groceries 

The service industry principles I learned while working in a grocery store apply to medicine. These include prioritizing customer needs, actively listening, and appreciating colleagues. 

October 11, 2018 | 1 min read

Book Review of “Beartown”

By Tina Zhang, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Medicine, much like hockey, is a team sport, where it takes the effort of many to realize success. The sacrifices required and pressures of being a hockey coach or player are similar to those that providers face. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

April 21, 2020 | 2 min read

“Jiro Dreams of Sushi”

By Scott Wright, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Role models can be found on Netflix. Jiro, the master sushi chef, is aiming for perfection, and we must also continuously try to get better in our work with patients.

January 27, 2021 | 2 min read

Gin And Tonic—Cultural Footprints of Disease

By Kittane "Vishnu" Vishnupriya, MBBS, Johns Hopkins Medicine

To mitigate incorrect assumptions about patients who have been infected with COVID-19, we must work to spread truths and to minimize inaccuracies—particularly those that may be shameful or demeaning.

July 13, 2023 | 2 min read

5 More Ways Social Workers Can Help Patients

By Abbey Becker, LMSW, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Hospital social workers can gather missing information essential to patient care. They can also assist patients in completing advance directives.  

May 5, 2022 | 1 min read

Lessons From Choosing a Specialty

By Howard Chang, Medical Student, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Deciding on an area of practice during medical school reminded me to ask for help when needed and to be comfortable with uncertainty. These skills will help me when I care for patients in the future.    

February 12, 2025 | 1 min read

Insights from the book “Decoding Greatness”

By Scott Wright, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Achieving greatness in any field is not only about talent or practice; it’s also about studying the successes of those who are exemplary. In medicine, observing and analyzing the approaches of admirable colleagues can allow us to grow and evolve toward being more clinically excellent. 

February 28, 2019 | 2 min read

From Film School to Medical School, (Part 2 of 3)

By Margaret Chisolm, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Using both words and images, John Berger and Jean Mohr's photo-essay, "A Fortunate Man," provides an intimate glimpse into the role of the doctor: "To cure sometimes, to relieve often, and to comfort always."

July 15, 2021 | 1 min read

Honoring Patients’ and Families’ Goals of Care

By Shireen Heidari, MD, Stanford University

When supporting critically ill or dying patients, keep their care goals at the forefront of conversations and planning.

January 4, 2024 | 1 min read

Searching for the solution

By Scott Wright, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Improving clinical reasoning skills is a career-long journey where we feel like an expert one day and a novice the next. Commitment to growth and learning from mistakes are absolutely required.  

October 12, 2022 | 1 min read

Equity and Inclusion: Beyond The Recognition Phase

By Vivian Altiery De Jesus, MD, MBE, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Increasing the diversity of minority clinicians is a first step in combatting racism in medicine. We must also ensure that curricula are free of stereotypes and bias. 

December 7, 2021 | 3 min read

A Window Into a Patient’s World

By Deirdre Johnston, MBBCh, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Visiting a patient’s home environment, either virtually or in person, may shed light on the source of their distress.

July 9, 2024 | 3 min read

Takeaways from the book “Progress Notes” 

By Abraham Nussbaum, MD, Denver Health

Excellent clinicians understand patients not just as bodies, but also as individuals within a community. Healthcare professionals should be trained in both for a more holistic approach to patient care. 

October 9, 2018 | 2 min read

Five Authors to Follow

Reading for a few minutes before bedtime is a calming habit, and a great way to fit in a few words from inspiring authors to fuel your practice.

May 2, 2018 | 1 min read

Top Tips To Improve Your Webside Manner

By Joshua Wadlin, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

You might think your bedside manner is excellent, but how’s your webside manner?

July 6, 2023 | 3 min read

Peaks And Patients

By Rishab Ramapriyan, medical student, Harvard Medical School

In medicine, as in hiking, learning to be comfortable with uncertainty is one of the most important lessons I’ve learned in my medical training. 

February 5, 2025 | 1 min read

Pathological hiccups

Sometimes benign symptoms can herald more serious problems. Being ready and willing to reconsider initial impressions is crucial for accurately discovering the underlying etiology.

April 9, 2019 | 1 min read

Being Yourself as a Professional

By Kim Stokes, MHS, PA-C, East Carolina University

Be kind, be humble - and be yourself!

December 12, 2023 | 2 min read

“CARE”

By Kelly Buckholdt, PhD, Veterans Health Administration, William Laurento II, MEdL

There’s no more dramatic way to understand patient-centered care than being a patient. 

August 13, 2019 | 2 min read

How Does Bullying Relate to Clinical Excellence?

By Scott Wright, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

There is no place in medicine for bullying. It interferes with growth of individuals and collaborations among team members – both of these are critical for serving our patients.

November 23, 2021 | 3 min read

Preventive Care And COVID

By Aline Charabaty, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

As a gastroenterologist, I’ve been encouraging people to continue with colon cancer screening through the pandemic. A delay may have serious health consequences.

July 2, 2024 | 4 min read

Seeing

By Kamna Balhara, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

When patients present frequently to the ED, clinicians must make an effort to validate them as individuals. It's also important to be aware of and work to change the underlying social determinants that may drive their visits.

March 1, 2018 | 2 min read

Most Physicians Sit Down at the Bedside When Entering a Patient’s Room

By Scott Wright, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Choice architecture, framing, herd behavior, and feedback—how to nudge your patient towards healthier choices.

April 6, 2020 | 1 min read

Addiction Recovery During the Pandemic

By Mike Fingerhood, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

We are all stressed by the great uncertainty related to COVID-19, but for our patients with addiction, it is much greater. Check in with your patients and support them in finding healthy ways to cope.

February 25, 2021 | 2 min read

How You Can Help With Intimate Partner Violence

By Lisa Geller, MPH, Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health crisis and most deadly when a gun is involved. Clinicians should screen patients for IPV, ask about firearm possession, and refer those at risk of IPV to appropriate services.

July 3, 2023 | 1 min read

Pronouns Matter

By Kevin Frick, PhD, Johns Hopkins Carey Business School

A reminder to try to use a person’s preferred pronouns. This can help people feel more welcome and comfortable.

May 2, 2022 | 3 min read

The Alarming Rise in Pediatric Suicide

By Elizabeth Reynolds, PhD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Rates of childhood suicide have been rising steadily and this is now the second leading cause of death for youth. It's critical to screen children for suicidal thoughts and behaviors.   

January 27, 2025 | 2 min read

The green hospital 

By Nick Dalesio, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Recognize the significant environmental impact of your healthcare practices. Advocate for and implement sustainable solutions, such as optimizing workflow to reduce waste and improve resource utilization. 

February 18, 2019 | 1 min read

A Tense Moment in the ER

By Danielle Ofri, MD, PhD, New York University School of Medicine

There are no easy solutions for conflicts of race, class, gender, societal roles, and economics. It’s only our individual work chipping away that will get us to a new place. It’s up to each of us to bring change.

July 6, 2021 | 2 min read

CARE: Connect, Assess, Respond, Evaluate

By Cheryl Barnes-Neff, PhD, MDiv, RN, President, Laurel Oak Group, Online Education & Training

To understand and better care for your patients, be curious about their life stories. Reflect on what you hear and consider the extent to which you are truly connecting.

December 7, 2023 | 2 min read

“I need this test.” 

By Pavitri Dwivedi, DO, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine

When patients request a test that you think is unnecessary, be curious and elicit why they feel this way. Then address their concerns about the condition being screened. 

July 17, 2025 | 3 min read

Cricket and the cadence of care  

Like playing cricket, the art of medicine demands patience, teamwork, and a willingness to redefine victory—not every win is a cure. Sometimes success is helping a patient find comfort and dignity. 

August 12, 2019 | 3 min read

Mental Illness and Mass Shootings

By Cassandra Crifasi, PhD, MPH, Emma Beth McGinty, PhD, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Most people with serious mental illness are never violent toward others. Due to the media’s misleading focus on the role of mental illness in gun violence generally and mass shootings specifically, many people are afraid that a diagnosis of a serious mental health condition like schizophrenia means they or their loved one are at high risk of hurting other people, which is not supported by the research evidence.

June 20, 2018 | 1 min read

Home Care: A Better Way To Care For Ventilator Patients

By William Greenough, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Using portable ventilator technologies in the patient’s home can provide a higher quality of life.

November 22, 2021 | 4 min read

Noticing What We’ve Seen Without Seeing

By Ekene Ojukwu, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Carefully observing our patients can lead to clinically relevant insights. Sometimes what seems inconsequential at first glance may be surprisingly significant.

June 24, 2024 | 2 min read

Partnering with patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities in medical decision-making 

By Sara Mixter, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine

When caring for patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities, explore supported decision-making options and prioritize communication needs. These steps should offer them more control over medical choices. 

February 28, 2018 | 3 min read

Sacred or Stigma? A New Realm of Expression

By David Efron, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

In 2018, do not resuscitate options are broad—distillation of the letters DNR do not provide enough guidance, and tattoos have yet to be validated as a definitive expression of this wish.