May 26, 2022 | 3 min read

Who Was Trayvon Martin?!

By Victor Ekuta, visiting medical student, Penn Medicine

We must pay attention to current events that may be significant to our patients. Staying curious may help us to connect and build rapport with those we serve.   

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!

September 27, 2023 | 1 min read

Guardrails And Ambulances 

By Mike Fingerhood, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Over 100,000 Americans die every year from overdoses, and most are preventable. Discuss with patients and loved ones the dangers of having old prescription or counterfeit pills, as well as the importance of keeping naloxone on hand.

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.

August 15, 2022 | 2 min read

Role Modeling Vulnerability

By Daniel Saddawi-Konefka, MD, MBA, Massachusetts General Hospital

When a patient dies, sharing your emotions with trainees normalizes this response and highlights our shared humanity.  

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.

July 30, 2018 | 1 min read

What’s a book club doing at a medical conference?

By Scott Wright, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Join a book club or start a book club - in either your professional or personal context. You'll be glad you did!

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.  

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 10, 2023 | 1 min read

Sips And Gulps

By Judy Ashley, patient

Patients may need a clinician’s help with things that seem easy or obvious, like how to swallow pills.

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.

November 7, 2024 | 2 min read

Following my own rules  

By Julie Caffrey, DO, MS, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Having my own set of guidelines has helped me to continuously improve. One of my favorites is consciously learning something new every day.

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.

May 25, 2022 | 2 min read

Between The Lines

By Avani Prabhakar, MBBS, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Sometimes patient questions aren’t something to answer quickly. Instead, they can create a space to explore underlying concerns. 

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 18, 2018 | 2 min read

The Bell Curve

By Lee Akst, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

The difference between a 99.5% and 99.95% success rate isn't necessarily in knowledge or training, but in physician attitudes towards adapting and changing to evolving information.

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?

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.

April 11, 2024 | 1 min read

Takeaways from Adam Grant’s “Think Again” 

By Gretchen Miller, Managing Editor

Healthcare professionals can benefit from adopting a growth mindset that emphasizes rethinking existing beliefs and approaches. A key strategy is questioning assumptions and biases, which can lead to better decision-making. 

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.

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.

March 30, 2023 | 2 min read

Cultivating a Beginner’s Mind

By Clara Watkins, student, Emory University School of Nursing, Colleen Christmas, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Remember when you were a new learner? Approach situations with that open, creative, and nonjudgmental mind that you may have had when you started training. 

March 25, 2020 | 1 min read

Standing With Courage During Challenging Times

By Juliette Perzhinsky, MD, MSc, Central Michigan University

"The ultimate measure of a [person] is not where [s/he] stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where [s/he] stands at times of challenge and controversy." -Martin Luther King Jr.

February 17, 2021 | 1 min read

How to Talk to Patients About Unnecessary Antibiotics

By Benjamin Miller, Johns Hopkins University, Sara Keller, MD, MPH, MSPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine

When talking with patients about antibiotics that are not indicated, emphasize personal potential side effects such as yeast infections and diarrhea.

May 24, 2022 | 2 min read

The Reflexive Practitioner

By Corliss Wong, MS4, The University of Hong Kong

Our own biases and judgements inevitably affect our care of patients. Deep introspection can help us overcome our prejudices and improve clinical practice. 

September 20, 2023 | 2 min read

Sharing Our Stories

By Hailey Haffey, PhD, University of Utah

Stories we’ve internalized about healing may direct our approach to patient care. Find the one that resonates most with you.

July 21, 2021 | 2 min read

Talking With Patients About Safe Summer Swimming

By Jade Cobern, MD, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Swimming is a summertime joy, but it is not without risk. Before patients take the plunge, they should be reminded to always swim with a buddy (never alone) and to apply sunscreen.

August 8, 2022 | 1 min read

988

By Patrick Hemming, MD, Duke University

When we identify patients who are experiencing mental illness, we need to let them know about this new resource in the U.S.

August 8, 2019 | 2 min read

The Circle of Re-Humanizing Medicine

By David Kopacz, MD, University of Washington

We need human-based medicine in conjunction with evidence-based medicine. If we only identify as scientists and not as healers, we risk dehumanizing our patients and ourselves.

April 3, 2024 | 2 min read

Military kids serve too 

By Richard Schaefer, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine

April is the Month of the Military Child. Clinicians caring for military family members should understand their history and stressors specific to the armed service to give the best possible care.    

January 5, 2022 | 1 min read

Bringing my nursing pearls to my doctoring (archives, 2022)

By Nina Wagner-Johnston, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

From my experience as a nurse, I always remember the importance of engaging the whole team. Each team member provides unique insights that can optimize the care of the patient. 

September 27, 2018 | <1 min read

Knowing the Patient as a Person in Precision Medicine

By Roy Ziegelstein, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

We must consider each person’s life experiences – so-called Personomics – alongside the many “-omics” that are essential components of Precision Medicine. Personomonics contributes to how illness is expressed, and ideally how it should be diagnosed and treated.

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.

March 18, 2020 | 2 min read

A nobel cause: an interview with Dr. Gregg Semenza

Mentors are invaluable. Whether pursuing excellence in research or clinical medicine, reach out to mentors so that you can grow efficiently.

October 28, 2024 | 2 min read

Spark the change

By Sadiqua Sadaf, MBBS, Deccan College of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, India

To motivate patients toward change, healthcare professionals can focus on building trust and setting achievable goals.

February 3, 2021 | 3 min read

How to Cultivate a “Friendtorship”

By Jared Rubenstein, MD, Baylor College of Medicine, Liz Salmi, OpenNotes Communications, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

A “friendtorship” is an informal peer-mentor relationship between two people with shared interests but different careers. “Friendtorships” can help you develop new perspectives and ideas about your own field.

May 17, 2022 | 1 min read

Word Choice Related to Substance Use Disorders

By Beth McGinty, PhD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Words matter; calling patients with a substance use disorder an “addict” defines them by their addiction. We need to ensure that our patients feel comfortable and supported so that they will engage in treatment.  

February 19, 2019 | 4 min read

On Feeling Helpless: A Psychiatrist Reflects on the Aftermath of a Patient Suicide

By Dinah Miller, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

If you've been distressed by the loss of a patient to suicide, I hope my story will provide a moment of relief as you begin the process of healing; I hope that you may feel less alone.

September 18, 2023 | 3 min read

Do you “need” to say it that way? 

By Gina Piscitello, MD, MS, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Using the word “need” to describe a treatment option may mislead patients and loved ones into believing it should be pursued. Prioritizing patient values and preferences may help reduce this risk.  

July 20, 2021 | 2 min read

3 lessons on clinical excellence from the oncology clinic

By Sajya Singh, Medical Student, Johns Hopkins Medicine

While shadowing clinicians in cancer care, I learned the importance of spending time to gather the family history, building trusting relationships, and balancing treatment plans with quality-of-life considerations.

August 1, 2022 | 1 min read

Keeping Children Safe

By Katherine Hoops, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Monique Burke, MD, President, MD Chapter of the AAP

The new Safer Communities Act helps clinicians connect patients to mental healthcare. Hopefully, this will reduce youth gun violence, including suicide. 

August 5, 2019 | 2 min read

Training and Identity

What parts of yourself do you want to bring back into your life that you may have lost during residency?

April 2, 2024 | 3 min read

A dose of reality (TV)  

By Maria Fazal, MD, Baltimore, Maryland

A patient who had severe anxiety and depression told me that watching “The Great British Bake Off” was a helpful relaxation technique. She taught me that shows like this may provide a therapeutic escape.  

December 21, 2021 | 4 min read

How to Make New Habits Stick, Part 2 

By Howard Chang, Medical Student, Johns Hopkins Medicine

We can build good habits in our own lives and help patients do the same by implementing the four laws of behavior change: make it obvious, make it attractive, make it easy, and make it satisfying. 

March 6, 2023 | 1 min read

Supporting Menopausal Patients

By Talia Sobel, MD, Mayo Clinic

Women often receive misinformation about menopause and even experience medical gaslighting from healthcare professionals. Clinicians should validate patients’ symptoms, and work with them to improve quality of life. 

October 17, 2024 | 2 min read

Gaming for mental health 

By Barry Bryant, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Understanding the therapeutic potential of video games is important. Clinicians may elect to recommend them for certain young patients struggling with mental health challenges.

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.

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.  

March 19, 2019 | 3 min read

Reversing the Backslide: Sexually Transmitted Infections in the US

By Matthew Hamill, MBChB, PhD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Open, non-judgmental, respectful, medically-relevant conversations need to be the cornerstone of all therapeutic relationships. As long as patients feel valued and at the center of their care, patients are willing to engage in discussions about sexually transmitted infections.