May 19, 2022 | 2 min read

Recognizing Relapse

By Susan Lehmann, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

The earlier that the return of psychiatric symptoms is detected, the more quickly a patient’s mental well-being can be restored. 

August 29, 2024 | 1 min read

Where do you live?  

Clinicians must go beyond medical diagnoses and address social determinants of health, such as housing instability. Finding the best hospital discharge solution may require creativity and team collaboration. 

March 22, 2022 | 1 min read

Navigating my First Patient Death

By Elissa Abou Khalil, MD, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Acknowledging feelings and asking for support may help when dealing with loss.  

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 16, 2019 | 8 min read

An Ode to the Herculean Heart

By Sam Kant, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

"Heart: A History," elevates our appreciation of how our predecessors worked to better patient lives, as well as the psychosocial aspects of heart disease.

March 2, 2020 | 3 min read

Universal trauma-informed care

By Sadie Elisseou, MD, Boston VA Health Care System

Understanding perpetrators of violence as potential trauma survivors can inspire empathy in clinicians and contribute to a universal, trauma-informed approach to patient care.

April 4, 2024 | 2 min read

A plug for the EHR 

By Amy Knight, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Clinicians can make EHRs work better by keeping patient records up-to-date and utilizing features like customization and search. Impressive new features are coming—hang in there! 

December 11, 2018 | 3 min read

Five Lessons From Architectural Design

By Diana Anderson, MD, MArch, Clincial Geriatrics Fellow, University of California, San Francisco

Architects are taught to respect context and design for the experience of being in a place. As providers, learning the context of our patients and their social determinants of health is key to the biopsychosocial model of care.

May 30, 2019 | 9 min read

Confessions of a Female Doctor who Questions Gender Equity Movements Like TIME’S UP Healthcare

By Kali Cyrus, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine

We have to embrace humility and first accept that we have biases, prejudices, and privileges in certain contexts. We must then do the hard work of recognizing when our biases show up in interactions, examine our past experiences that contributed to the development of our biases, and acknowledge the hurt that may be caused by our biases to ourselves and others. If we truly want to stop harassment and create equity, we have to do this emotional work every day. And we should do it to stop harassment and create equity for not just women, but for everyone.

May 16, 2019 | 5 min read

Starry, Starry Night

By Juliette Perzhinsky, MD, MSc, Central Michigan University

There are times that as clinicians we become patients ourselves, needing compassionate care for injuries entirely unrelated to our chief complaint.

April 17, 2018 | 5 min read

Knowing Your Patient

By Khalil Ghanem, MD, PhD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Diagnostic excellence begins and ends with knowing your patient.

August 26, 2020 | 6 min read

How to Discuss Minority Stress With Patients

By Chase Anderson, MD, University of California San Francisco

If your patient identifies as part of a minority group, it could be helpful to ask if they’ve experienced stress because of this. Doing so may allow you to better understand your patient’s story.

January 15, 2025 | 2 min read

A spray away from the answer 

This clinical conundrum, related to hypoxia, underscores the importance of meticulous history-taking and the potential for unexpected complications with seemingly benign medications. 

August 19, 2020 | 2 min read

6 ways to address Black mistrust in medicine

By Biosha Jones, MD, Loma Linda University

We must work toward establishing trust with all of our patients instead of assuming it already exists.

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.

April 2, 2019 | 5 min read

Connecting to Historical Roots

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

There are a number of important physicians in history, and an appreciation of our past can further our quest for clinical excellence in the present.

November 6, 2024 | 2 min read

Artful healing

By Sujal Manohar, medical student, Baylor College of Medicine

When I was working in an epilepsy center, I learned the value of understanding the patient’s lived experience. Art and storytelling can provide a unique window into patient concerns and dreams.

July 11, 2019 | 7 min read

June Art Museum Challenge

By Flora Smyth Zahra, MA Clin Ed, DRestDent RCS, FHEA, Kings College London, Margaret Chisolm, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Art captures both the ordinary and extraordinary moments of human lives throughout history, and offers insights into how to heal ourselves and one another.

June 15, 2023 | 1 min read

Lessons From a Humble Mentor 

By Rafael Llinas, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

My mentor, Dr. Martin Samuels, modeled outstanding communication skills with patients, colleagues, and trainees. He discussed times when he was wrong so that others could learn from his mistakes. 

July 1, 2019 | 1 min read

Looking Under the Hood

By Daniel Minter, MD, University of California, San Francisco

Promoting a culture of thinking out loud can demystify the process of clinical reasoning and make it accessible to all learners.

August 7, 2024 | 2 min read

Wait! Is that a zebra?

Common things are common, but occasionally unusual conditions are seen. To improve diagnostic accuracy, clinicians should consider alternative explanations and challenge their own assumptions.

July 29, 2024 | 2 min read

Becoming a lifeline 

By Joanna Cohen, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Clinicians must proactively identify patients at risk of suicide. A multi-faceted approach includes regular screenings for depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts, and ensuring all patients and caregivers have access to a crisis hotline.

June 10, 2024 | 2 min read

Let’s talk about sex and aging 

By Mariah Robertson, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Open and inclusive questions during routine visits with older patients can improve their sexual health outcomes. 

March 9, 2023 | 2 min read

Latticeworks

By Zaina Siraj, medical student, Albany Medical College

The more we learn and grow, the better we can understand ourselves, our patients, and our world. 

May 13, 2019 | 7 min read

April Art Museum Challenge

By Flora Smyth Zahra, MA Clin Ed, DRestDent RCS, FHEA, Kings College London, Margaret Chisolm, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Slow looking can enable clinicians to see more deeply, think more critically, and engage more meaningfully in patient care. Time spent in a museum supports clinician wellness and nurtures student professional identity formation.

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.

October 12, 2021 | 2 min read

Unshackle The Mind

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

When caring for a man in handcuffs, I was reminded that every patient must be shown empathy and compassion.

February 19, 2024 | 2 min read

Mitigating colon cancer in young patients

By Ekta Gupta, MBBS, Johns Hopkins Medicine

There's and increasing risk of colon cancer in younger patients. Clinicians need to be diligent in considering the possibility of colon cancer.

March 6, 2019 | 1 min read

Calling Card for the Soul

By Stephanie Cooper Greenberg, Johns Hopkins Pet Therapy Program

Pets hold a special place in all of our hearts. To connect with patients and to show genuine interest, ask them about their pets. You may be surprised how much you will learn about your patient including who they are, what matters to them, and what they love.

August 18, 2021 | 2 min read

Helping Students Transition to Wards

By Howard Chang, Medical Student, Johns Hopkins Medicine

I was nervous taking care of my first patient as a student on the medical wards. I felt more comfortable when I realized that even experienced clinicians don’t know everything, and of course they did not expect me to have all the answers.