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Practicing humility can improve team-based care.

November 10, 2020 | 2 min read

Moving From Empathy to Humility

By Barret Michalec, PhD, Arizona State University

Acting with humility is granting someone else a higher status than one claims for themselves. This acknowledgement of respect is critical to being an effective healthcare professional.

April 25, 2022 | 1 min read

Showing Empathy to Reduce Patient Anxiety

By Mariana Calleja, MD, Grupo Quirón, Barcelona, Spain

Smiling, communicating calmly, and avoiding medical jargon can help patients feel more comfortable and relaxed.

January 19, 2021 | 2 min read

How to Mitigate Compassion Fatigue

By Dimitrios Tsatiris, MD, Cleveland, Ohio

Prioritizing self-care and making an effort to connect with others may prevent burnout and allow us to continue to give clinically excellent care to patients.

"Laine," by William Stoehr.

April 17, 2025 | 1 min read

HOPE

Art can foster hope for healing for those living with substance use disorders.

The author's pediatrician was an early role model in her development as a neurologist.

October 15, 2018 | 1 min read

Respect, Empathy, and Communciation

By Andrea Corse, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

My approach to care is to provide the kind of care you would want for yourself and your family.

February 10, 2022 | 1 min read

How to Express Empathy With Humility

By Rebekah Fenton, MD, Northwestern University

To show we care, we can simply say something like, “I can’t imagine how hard this must be.”

April 9, 2018 | 3 min read

Healing Through Compassion and Empathy

By Kristen Nelson, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Read Dr. Nelson’s clinical mission statement, reminding us that “no matter what, you’re not just treating the patient, you’re treating the whole family.”

June 8, 2023 | 3 min read

The Swiss Army Knife

By Cory Rohlfsen, MD, University of Nebraska Medical Center

Sometimes clinicians’ wellspring of empathy runs dry. Unfolding a few simple tools—like mirroring patients’ nonverbal communication—can improve therapeutic relationships and allow us to provide compassionate care even when we are not at our best.

October 14, 2025 | 5 min read

Procedures that are painful for both patients and clinicians

Some medical procedures are uncomfortable and do not go quickly or smoothly. The patient’s well-being and the need to complete the task must both be thoughtfully considered continuously.

June 3, 2024 | 3 min read

Injecting empathy into interventional procedures

By Stephanie Van, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

As an interventional specialist, compassion and connecting with patients are prioritized in my care. Acknowledging concerns, providing reassurance, and verbalizing each step of the procedure helps to build trust and alleviate patient anxiety.

May 5, 2021 | 2 min read

Empathy Instead of Judgment

By Isaiah Crum, MD, University of Pittsburgh

Through the death of an infant patient, I was reminded of how integral being compassionate and non-judgmental is to clinical care.

October 16, 2019 | 2 min read

How to Show Empathy When Patients Express Anger

By Zainab Obaidi, MBBS, Johns Hopkins Medicine

There are strategies that can be used effectively when patients express anger.

Operationalizing basic systems like a phone call home following a hospitalization can make a meaningful difference for patients.

March 25, 2025 | 3 min read

Operationalizing empathy

By Steve Meth, JD, MS, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Small systemic adjustments can have a significant impact on care quality. Examples that have been impactful recently include post-discharge phone calls, AI scribing, and better integration of bedside EHR.

"If I die, tell my mother I love her. If I get better, I'm going to visit her in Tennessee. She has ten acres and a farmhouse."

May 11, 2021 | 1 min read

Empathy at The End of Life

By Avani Prabhakar, MBBS, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine

At the end of life, clinicians who are present and listen compassionately may be entrusted with patients’ final wishes. Attempting to honor these requests is one way to serve.

March 28, 2019 | 6 min read

Integrating Psychology and Primary Care

By Benjamin Bensadon, PhD, University of Florida College of Medicine

Person-centeredness holds great potential to maximize healing in the way Osler envisioned more than a century ago. But to translate this concept clinically, psychology and medicine must come closer together. The closer we can come together, the closer we can come to Osler.

November 27, 2019 | 3 min read

Clouds and Codes Aren’t Care

By Gisele Waters, PhD, Founder and President of Symbiotica Consulting

The promise of artificial intelligence is that it gives healthcare professionals the opportunity to improve the quality of care by allowing humans to focus on humans.

October 6, 2025 | 1 min read

Hope made visible

My portraits of grief, resilience, and dignity, foster empathy and dialogue—reminding us that hope and compassion are vital to medicine and community.

July 14, 2021 | 1 min read

How to Respond to Off-putting Comments from Patients

By Elizabeth Steuber, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Sometimes comments from patients are rooted in their own unmet fears or needs. Instead of reacting to your own discomfort in the face of such comments, remaining curious and asking open-ended questions may help you understand what’s behind such unpleasant remarks.

January 3, 2019 | 1 min read

Post-Holiday Reflections

Throughout the entirety of the year, placing emphasis on humanity and connecting with patients is paramount.

August 24, 2022 | 2 min read

Conversations with those who are vaccine-hesitant (archives, 2022)

By Joan Park, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Talking about vaccines with patients can sometimes feel challenging. Extending empathy, sharing your own story, and being honest about potential side effects can be helpful.

October 29, 2018 | 2 min read

The Power of Laughter

By Carol Ann Huff, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Laughter is wonderful medicine and can almost always be heard emanating from my clinic!

Newly Renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza NW, Washington, D.C., June 2020.

June 30, 2020 | 1 min read

Learning to be Antiracist

By Ashlyn McRae, Medical Student, Johns Hopkins Medicine

We must acknowledge the ways in which we have been, and are racist. This will allow us to provide the most equitable care to all of our patients.

"Critical care unit," drawing by the author.

October 29, 2024 | 1 min read

“Critical care unit”—a visual reflection

By Sujal Manohar, medical student, Baylor College of Medicine

In the face of devastating diagnoses and uncertain prognoses, pediatric patients and their loved ones need to feel heard and understood.

September 11, 2025 | 2 min read

Compassion at eye level

When communicating with patients, words, tone, and gestures matter. In addition, genuine presence provides comfort to patients who are suffering.

July 12, 2018 | 1 min read

Storytelling in Medicine

By Susan Lehmann, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

The ability to learn your patient’s story from their words is the essential skill for developing a comprehensive understanding. This is crucial for accurate diagnosis and for establishing a therapeutic bond with each patient.

September 25, 2019 | 1 min read

Promises

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

Be thoughtful about promises that you make to patients. When you do make a promise, make sure that you can keep it.

September 29, 2021 | 2 min read

Finding Your Way to Compassion Satisfaction

By Wilson Hurley, LCSW

Practicing strategies that renew compassion will allow you to care for patients more effectively.

July 30, 2024 | 3 min read

Unplug to recharge

By Jennifer Katzenstein, PhD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

When I engaged in a personal digital detox, I noticed my ability to focus on patients improved. Two ideas to try are setting screen-time limits and establishing tech-free zones.

Sketch of Carl Rogers, Wikimedia Commons, public domain.

June 27, 2019 | 5 min read

Lessons From “Empathic: An Underappreciated Way of Being”

By Leslie Ordal, MSc, CGC

Reading Carl Rogers' 1975 essay can help you cultivate the skill of listening without judgement.

“We often jump to reassure, fix, and plan. If we can be still for a moment, we can remain present and let compassion guide our actions.”

December 8, 2020 | 3 min read

The Messy

By Cassie Ferguson, MD, Medical College of Wisconsin

Caring for children in the pediatric ED is both rewarding and exhausting. Cultivating compassion for patients and ourselves can help to sustain our practice and our well-being.

May 23, 2022 | 2 min read

Communication: A Chaplain’s-Eye View

By Peter Heikkinen, MDiv, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Hearing, acknowledging, and appreciating the patient’s perspective is central to effective communication.

Clinically excellent healthcare professionals maintain a growth mindset.

January 6, 2025 | 2 min read

Defining exemplary care

By Kristopher Keppel, medical student, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Exceptional patient care requires "pragmatic empathy"—the artful blend of compassion and candor—combined with a holistic approach that considers the patient's broader life context.

November 5, 2020 | 3 min read

Cultivating Compassion

By Aidan Crowley, Medical Student, University of Pennsylvania

Compassion—acting on the desire to relieve suffering—is central to giving clinically excellent care to those in need.

April 29, 2024 | 3 min read

A patient’s reflection on connecting with clinicians—what matters most

By Jennifer Ball, BSJ, MA, Chicago, IL

Empathy and cultural competence are cornerstones of excellent patient care. Prioritizing these values can help each patient feel respected, empowered, and supported.

"Nighthawks," Edward Hopper, 1942.

January 2, 2019 | 3 min read

The Human Experience of Illness

By Tina Zhang, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Paintings, photographs, and poems can foster dialogue about the human experience of illness and allow learners to approach challenging topics in a more comfortable way.

March 27, 2024 | 1 min read

Deepening connections: takeaways from David Brooks’ “How to Know a Person”

By Gretchen Miller, Managing Editor

Healthcare professionals can enhance their connections with patients and coworkers by truly understanding others. Looking beyond the surface, cultivating empathy, and mastering the art of paying attention can help clinicians build deeper relationships.

March 9, 2021 | 2 min read

Self-Compassion: A Resilience Strategy For Stressful Times

By Jennifer Hartmark-Hill, MD, University of Arizona

Cultivating self-compassion can combat stress and burnout, and improve your overall well-being.

Clinician self-disclosure must be done thoughtfully if it is to strengthen the root of the patient-doctor relationship.

January 18, 2021 | 5 min read

The Pros and Cons of Clinician Self-disclosure

By Howard Chang, Medical Student, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Clinician self-disclosure, if done thoughtfully, may help some patients feel better understood and strengthen the patient-doctor relationship.

January 11, 2021 | 2 min read

Meditation to Manage Stress

By Wilson Hurley, LCSW

Stress can cause us to be impatient with patients and colleagues. Noticing this and refocusing our attention toward the patient can help us continue to give excellent care.

August 26, 2024 | 2 min read

The Argentinian way

By M. Carolina Musri, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

In Argentina, I learned that relationship-building in medicine is paramount. With patients, talking about anything non-medical can deepen a connection. With coworkers, sharing lunch every day can help reduce stress and improve well-being.

December 8, 2022 | 2 min read

Embracing Music to Cope With Burnout

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

Playing and listening to music every day fosters my well-being and allows me to take better care of patients.

The author enjoying time with her beautiful family. Photo credit to the author, and used with permission.

April 18, 2019 | 1 min read

Patients Are Partners, Not Consumers

By Hala Durrah, MTA, Patient Family Engagement Advocate & Consultant, Washington, DC

My hope is that physicians, patients, and families, consider each other as partners, with mutual respect, trust, compassion, understanding, and empathy guiding and facilitating interactions and relationships.

January 9, 2025 | 2 min read

Caution: red tape ahead

By Katharine Russo, PharmD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Holistically caring for patients includes helping them navigate healthcare systems. Take time to support already stressed patients through the frustrating and opaque processes of insurance and prior authorizations.

A crowd organized by the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee sang “We Shall Overcome” in Farmville, Virginia, in 1966, after a speech by Stokely Carmichael.

January 18, 2019 | 9 min read

From Clinic to Senate

By Kali Cyrus, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Advocacy does not have to mean changing legal precedents; it can also be taking a mentee out for coffee, giving feedback about your colleague’s stereotyping of a patient, or not patronizing restaurants with unfair wage practices.

April 15, 2024 | 1 min read

When the end is near

By Avani Prabhakar, MBBS, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Shubham Tomar, MBBS, MPH, Vanderbilt University Medical Center

At the end of life, loved ones often must make difficult decisions. Healthcare professionals can help ease this burden by showing empathy and compassion.

December 19, 2024 | 1 min read

In the aftermath

By Jeffrey Millstein, MD, Penn Medicine

The murder of a health insurance company CEO has drawn attention to a swell of frustration with America’s healthcare system. Clinicians can extend empathy to patients who suffer simply trying to receive care.

"Primary Colors Ascending," by Janice Greenberg.

December 17, 2024 | 5 min read

The portal paradox

By Megan Gerber, MD, MPH, Albany Medical College

Communicating with patients electronically presents both benefits and challenges. I’ve cherished when patients have shared creative works with me—both in person and via the portal—although I recognize this may add to my message count.

"Our medical training leaves us ill-equipped to manage feelings associated with this uncertainty, especially the shame that often accompanies a medical error."

April 15, 2021 | 3 min read

To Err is Human

By Linda Lee, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Being honest with patients about errors can help ease their pain and preserve the patient-clinician relationship.

November 12, 2018 | 3 min read

Insights From “A Whole New Mind”

Daniel Pink's "A Whole New Mind" highlights the importance of cultivating empathy, humor, and the ability to create meaning.

December 5, 2024 | 2 min read

Risorius: the power of a smile

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

A genuine smile can convey empathy, warmth, and reassurance, fostering a positive and trusting patient-clinician relationship. This helps create a more welcoming and comforting atmosphere.