March 21, 2024 | 2 min read

Young LGBTQ+ patients deserve more 

By Brady Hanshaw, medical student, Harvard Medical School, Thara Nagarajan, MD, UCSF

36% of LGBTQ+ youth are unsure they’ll live until the age of 35. These mental health outcomes are even more severe for LGBTQ+ youth of color. It’s critical that clinicians create a safe space to talk about anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicidal ideation. 

October 3, 2024 | 2 min read

Patient time 

By Katherine Majzoub Morgan, MD, Brigham and Womens Hospital

Ask patients if they are concerned about the amount of time it takes to engage with health care systems. For those who are, include time as a factor in shared decision-making conversations. 

March 10, 2021 | 2 min read

Communication PEARLS

By Catherine Washburn, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

When speaking with patients and colleagues, use a respectful tone and convey empathy. Clear communication is the basis for effective and trusting relationships with patients and coworkers.

February 27, 2019 | 2 min read

The Need for Diversity

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

Our future healthcare workforce must be as diverse as the communities it serves.

August 30, 2023 | 2 min read

Containing Chaos Through Dance

By Shreya Srivastava, medical student, Albany Medical College

The strength, stamina, emotional understanding, and situational awareness that dancers develop over time can also benefit healthcare professionals.  

August 9, 2021 | 4 min read

Hiding in Plain Sight: Just Ask, or You’ll Miss Most Eating Disorders

By Angela Guarda, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Although five percent of the population has a clinically significant eating disorder, most aren't detected because clinicians don’t ask. Simply asking,“What is the MOST you would be comfortable weighing?” can help identify a restrictive eating disorder.

July 26, 2022 | 2 min read

Sharing One More Pint

By Avani Prabhakar, MBBS, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine

When caring for a cancer patient who lived days longer than expected, I learned to be humble in my prognostications and to help patients receive “extra” moments of life as gift. 

July 30, 2019 | 3 min read

Searching for Bicarb in July

By Camille Petri, MD, Mass General

To succeed in clinical practice, be humble and open to learning from all members of your team.

March 19, 2024 | 2 min read

Caring for transgender and gender-expansive patients, Part 2

By Paula Neira, JD, MSN, RN, CEN, FAAN, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Transgender and gender-expansive patients often feel uncomfortable in healthcare settings and avoid care. Be sure to use every patient’s chosen name/pronoun and take care not to misgender.

September 18, 2018 | 3 min read

No Blushing! How to Talk About Sex With All Patients

By Helene Hedian, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Engaging in open, nonjudgmental discussions about patients’ sexual health provides an opportunity to assess risk, screen for sexual dysfunction, provide counseling, and offer appropriate vaccinations.

January 26, 2022 | 1 min read

Talking With Older Patients About Winter Hazards

By Shaista Ahmed, MBBS, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Be sure your geriatric patients are aware of winter hazards and provide guidance on how to avoid the risk of falls and hypothermia.    

February 2, 2023 | 2 min read

We Just Disagree

By Eric Last, DO, Northwell Health, Wantagh, New York

When colleagues offer a conflicting opinion, remember to always put the patient first, check your facts, and be open to learning.  

March 23, 2020 | 4 min read

Finding the Right Words—Lessons From Nurse Mary Borden

By Iro Filippaki, PhD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

WWI Nurse Mary Borden's autobiography provides inspiration to search for the right words to describe our experience, and perhaps, find solace as we face the challenges of medicine.

August 23, 2018 | 4 min read

How To Incorporate Students Effectively Into Clinic

Making the time and effort to integrate students into clinic cohesively can be associated with both improved clinical productivity and educational value.

March 1, 2021 | 4 min read

How to be an Excellent Clinical Mentor

By Aidan Crowley, Medical Student, University of Pennsylvania

Mentorship is essential to healthcare teaching, learning, and practice. Excellent mentors lead by example and guide mentees, informed by empathic listening and reflections on their own journeys.

February 11, 2019 | 5 min read

The Dots We Connect – An Interview with Dan Pink

Dan Pink distills pearls of wisdom for health professionals from his bestselling books "A Whole New Mind" and "When."

August 29, 2023 | 1 min read

Music and Medicine: The Same Melody 

By Tara Rajendran, MBBS, MFA, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India 

My training in classical Indian music helped me to become better at focused listening and recognizing the importance of teamwork in medicine. 

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. 

May 22, 2018 | 1 min read

What My Patients Taught Me About Leadership

By Eric Howell, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

A veteran hospitalists highlights four areas where patients have helped him become a more thoughtful leader.

July 20, 2022 | 2 min read

“I’ll do your abortion.”

By Jill Edwardson, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine

We enter every patient encounter with our own unique experiences, judgements, and values, as do our patients. Only when we acknowledge this can we truly connect with compassion.

July 31, 2019 | 3 min read

The Healing Circle as a Holistic Framework

By David Kopacz, MD, University of Washington

As can be learned from a Native American healer, to heal profoundly, one must holistically integrate mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual aspects of being human.

March 18, 2024 | 2 min read

Caring for transgender and gender-expansive patients, Part 1 

By Paula Neira, JD, MSN, RN, CEN, FAAN, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Clinicians must be aware that transgender and gender-expansive patients face widespread discrimination in healthcare settings, including harassment and denial of care, and work to mitigate this disturbing trend. 

January 25, 2022 | 1 min read

Beware The Ladder of Inference

By Jeffrey Millstein, MD, Penn Medicine

Sometimes in the care of patients, we jump to conclusions. Questioning our assumptions can improve relationships and help us make better decisions.   

January 31, 2023 | 1 min read

Brain Candy

By Carol Vidal, MD, PhD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Because we don't know yet how social media affects our brain, it needs to be consumed in moderation. Scheduling times to spend time with friends and family may make it easier to get offline. 

October 2, 2024 | 1 min read

Pain management: a perspective from a doctor in Kuwait 

Pain and suffering are ubiquitous. Observing approaches and practices in the U.S. highlighted for me the importance of open dialogue, patient empowerment, and multimodal approaches.   

February 23, 2021 | 3 min read

Tips For Giving Medical Updates to Families

By Joshua Budhu, MD, Mass General

A physician’s disappointment in hearing surprises about his loved one’s condition sparked new insights on the value of regularly updating families about the patient.

February 13, 2019 | 2 min read

Disparities in New Treatments

By Utibe Essien, MD, MPH, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

When beginning new treatments, it's important to ask patients what they understand about the medication, what their expectations are, what barriers might exist to remaining on this agent, and what they value most out of their treatment plan.

August 28, 2023 | 2 min read

Travelers on an Unfamiliar Road

By Daniel Pomerantz, MD, Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital, New York

A rabbi once taught me the distinction between curing and caring. As I accompany patients on the rough road of illness, I consider ways to make their journey a little smoother. 

June 12, 2025 | 2 min read

The strengths of neurodiverse healthcare professionals 

Neurodivergent healthcare professionals bring unique attributes to a medical team that can enhance patient care. We can foster inclusive environments that actively support these diverse ways of thinking and working.

July 28, 2021 | 2 min read

4 Things You Can do to Support Patients Facing Hard News

By Rebekah Fenton, MD, Northwestern University

In medicine, we sometimes have to share horrible news. When doing so, hold the conversations in a private space, make sure the patient and family understand what you’re saying, acknowledge emotions, and answer questions.

June 18, 2018 | 2 min read

How To Help Your Patients Get Better Sleep, Part I

A sleep specialist reminds us of the importance of asking patients about their sleep.

July 23, 2019 | 3 min read

Engaging Care Partners in Communication

By Antonio Wolff, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Jennifer Aufill, BA, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Jennifer Wolff, PhD, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Families and friends are valuable resources. These partners in care can help clinicians improve quality of care and patient outcomes.

March 14, 2024 | 3 min read

Why sexual orientation and gender identity in the EMR matters 

By Tyler Cornell, MSN/MPH, CRNP (she/her), Johns Hopkins Medicine  

Always ask patients about their gender identity, preferred name, pronouns, and how they define their sexual orientation. This builds trust and helps your patients feel safe to return for follow-up. 

February 24, 2018 | 1 min read

Battling The System in Defense of Diagnosis

By Souvik Chatterjee, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Healthcare delivery is at odds with a fundamental aspect of being a physician—strategic curriculum interventions are necessary to preserve the art of diagnosis.

January 12, 2022 | 2 min read

The Comfort of Death Rituals

By Jennifer Eitingon, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

In the past, I questioned the value of certain rituals. A woman from Panama showed me how these may provide comfort to those who have lost a loved one.  

January 25, 2023 | 2 min read

All in The Family

In my general internal medicine practice, I’ve learned that getting to know a patient’s family gives a unique window into their lives.  

March 9, 2020 | 1 min read

Embrace the Craic!

By Michelle Gyenes, MS, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health

We would all do well to be more like the Irish!

September 26, 2024 | 3 min read

Under the influencers 

By Adam Schiavi, MD, PhD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

The social media "Black out challenge" promotes asphyxia that can result in irreversible brain damage or death. Healthcare professionals should warn patients and caregivers to be cautious about social media trends and provocations. 

February 22, 2021 | 3 min read

Giving Respectful Care to All

By Danielle Prentice, DO, Penn State

Respecting patients' stories, leaving preconceived notions at the door, and avoiding insensitive comments are expected professional norms in healthcare.

February 14, 2019 | 3 min read

Defamiliarization

By Sarah Walser, , Penn State College of Medicine

Incorporating defamiliarization into practice builds empathy and broadens our worldview. It challenges us to expand and find confluence between different frameworks through which an experience, such as a disease, can be interpreted.

August 17, 2023 | 3 min read

The Hospital Playlist 

By Kerry Devlin, MMT, LPMT, MT-BC (she/her), Johns Hopkins Medicine

Consider the hospital soundscape and how it may impact patients’ well-being. To create a more soothing stay, silence or turn down monitors if possible. 

June 9, 2025 | 3 min read

When care hurts 

Patients’ past healthcare experiences influence their ability to engage in care. Taking time to learn about their life stories builds trust and empowers them to participate in their healing. 

July 19, 2021 | 3 min read

Diversifying the clinician workforce (archives 2021)

By Pringl Miller, MD, San Francisco, California

Diversifying the clinician workforce is associated with improved patient satisfaction and outcomes. So, what are we waiting for?

July 18, 2022 | 2 min read

How to have effective discussions about alcohol 

By Beth McGinty, PhD, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Mike Fingerhood, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Talking with patients about the risks of heavy alcohol consumption and the benefits of change can have a positive impact on their health. 

August 1, 2019 | 3 min read

Mindset and the Power of Yet: A Conversation With Dr. Gurpreet Dhaliwal

Excellent clinicians are also thoughtful mentors. Mentors are like beacons as we navigate our path forward.

March 4, 2024 | 2 min read

Getting the diagnosis right 

By Colleen Christmas, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

After arriving at what you think is the diagnosis, pause and consider alternative explanations. For patient populations at high risk for misdiagnosis (women and historically marginalized groups), examine how biases might be influencing your conclusions. 

February 22, 2018 | 3 min read

Family History and Addiction Risk

By Margaret Chisolm, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

For some patients the risk of becoming addicted to prescription opioids is extraordinarily high and may outweigh any pain control benefit.

June 4, 2018 | 2 min read

Half Baked

By Wilma Ferthler, MD, Rural Country Doctor, Northeast Kingdom, Vermont

Your monthly dose of comic relief from William Osler's long lost cousin Wilma Ferthler.

January 9, 2023 | 2 min read

Questions Raised by “There, There” 

By Mike Fingerhood, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Reflecting on our own “there” (the place where we grew up) can trigger conversation that helps us to understand our patients’ “there.” This can strengthen the patient-clinician relationship.

August 21, 2018 | 1 min read

Talking With Young Adult Patients About Alcohol

By Mike Fingerhood, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Clinicians need to be vigilant to discuss alcohol use with patients and remember that the legal drug, alcohol, causes more morbidity and mortality than opioids.