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December 29, 2020 | 4 min read

Lessons From “Diary of a Med Student”

By Howard Chang, Medical Student, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Working in healthcare, we interact with people who can be offensive. A med student reflects on how best to respond to patients who are demeaning.

October 1, 2020 | 3 min read

3 Tips to Improve Your Body Language

By Adam Koenig, Medical Student, University of Toledo

To build a strong patient-clinician relationship, position your body with an open posture and make good eye contact.

"The Zubaran, St Hugh of Grenoble at the Carthusian Refectory," ca 1663. Owned by Museo de Bellas Artes, Sevilla.

August 13, 2020 | 3 min read

Exploring Professional Identity Through Art

By Angelica Kene Ezeigwe, Medical Student, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Reflecting periodically on why you chose medicine as a career may help you to reconnect with your passion and rekindle the joy of serving patients.

"The practitioners who surround the student during his or her transition into the clinical world show the student how to live out out his or her oath. During this stage of formation, the trainee is simultaneously a sponge and a clay sculpture, soaking up the minutiae of the clinical environment while honing the skills that will shape his or her character as a physician."

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.

September 22, 2020 | 1 min read

Voting as Part of Clinical Excellence

By Margot Kelly-Hedrick, MBE, (she/her/hers), Medical Student, Duke University

Voting is a way you can advocate for your patients and improve health outcomes.

July 30, 2020 | 2 min read

Taking a Moment to Pause

By Jareatha Abdul-Raheem, Med Student, Johns Hopkins Medicine

When hearing disappointing news or encountering stress, making time to step back and reassess may help with coping and gaining perspective.

The owl has been used as a symbol of wisdom for millennia.

January 25, 2021 | 3 min read

How to be Clinically Excellent

By Laura Pugh, Medical Student, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Clinically excellent physicians sit at the same level as their patients, ask them about their fears, and are lifelong learners.

"My book knowledge will allow me to recognize the pattern leading to a medical diagnosis, but I must also move beyond the mnemonic and to make time for the person seated in front of me."

July 28, 2022 | 2 min read

Passing Tests And Failing my Family

By Emily Rodriguez, medical student, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Book knowledge about addiction offered me little to support my family members and others affected by this illness. To holistically serve, we need to take the time to connect and genuinely understand each person.

May 19, 2021 | 3 min read

Clinical Training Translating to Clinical Excellence

By Jennifer Spicer, MD, MPH, Emory University

Bias awareness achieved in teaching/learning can transfer to the clinic. Thus learners can help clinicians become aware of bias toward patients.

Juneteenth Flag

July 2, 2020 | 4 min read

3 Tips for Dismantling Anti-Black Racism in Academic Medicine

By LaShyra Nolen, Medical Student, Harvard University

White educators and learners must commit to doing the work and educating themselves on how to be antiracist. Black colleagues should not be responsible for educating those around them.

January 28, 2021 | 3 min read

Purple Nail Polish

By Shauna Maty, MPH, Medical Student, St. George University

Always remember that your patient is a person with a family, friends, and a unique story. Your first responsibility as a healthcare professional is to heal your patient and your second is to learn.

April 16, 2020 | 1 min read

Designing Your Life in Medicine

By Lynae Conyers, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Thoughtful career exploration may promote well-being and protect against burnout. Life design practices may guide you along your career journey.

Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry, Ireland.

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!

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.

Autumn leaves

October 5, 2021 | 1 min read

The Sound of Silence

By Michelle Warncke, MBBS, MSc, North Carolina

Creating silent moments when talking with patients gives them time to process and the opportunity to share concerns that may not otherwise be spoken.

A team of sled dogs works together just like a healthcare team.

March 16, 2023 | 2 min read

Communication And Collegial Care

By Howard Chang, Medical Student, Johns Hopkins Medicine

We can be more effective communicators by understanding and appreciating the expertise of all members of the healthcare team.

April 5, 2022 | 1 min read

Playing “Out of Book”

By Jeffrey Millstein, MD, Penn Medicine

Unexpected statements from patients can force clinicians to improvise. As in chess, it helps to view these as challenges with potential rewards.

August 12, 2021 | 1 min read

Beyond Language—Closing the Gaps

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

Caring for a patient who didn’t speak English showed me that all patients can benefit from a compassionate facial expression, eye contact, and a soothing tone.

Reverse Waterfall, Nasik, Maharashtra, India.

February 16, 2022 | 1 min read

Mentorship in Reverse

By Rayah Sawaya, MD, American University of Beirut

If you find a mentor who’s helpful and generous, consider reciprocating with “reverse mentoring.”

January 31, 2022 | 2 min read

Lessons in Medicine From Running a Marathon

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

As a trainee who also competes in races, I’ve learned the importance of leaning on others to reach the finish line.

October 28, 2021 | 2 min read

Dropping my Pen

By Howard Chang, Medical Student, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Excellent clinicians implement colleagues’ feedback to improve their care of patients and offer guidance to support the growth of others.

February 12, 2020 | 1 min read

Agents of Change—Learning From Gen Z Healthcare Students

By Kevin Pan, Medical Student, Ohio University School of Medicine

Excellent clinicians are committed to reducing health inequity.

June 30, 2021 | 2 min read

Promoting Wellness Through Intergenerational Connections

By Susan Lehmann, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Bridging the generations can enhance emotional well-being for young and old. Encourage patients to reach out to older family members and neighbors!

June 1, 2021 | 2 min read

The Lifelong Journey in Professional Identity Formation

By Margot Kelly-Hedrick, MBE, (she/her/hers), Medical Student, Duke University

We must work toward defining our identities throughout our careers as we strive to give excellent care to every patient.

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.

June 22, 2020 | 4 min read

Doing Something or Doing Nothing: Health Disparities, Racial Justice, and the Risk of Failing to Meet This Moment

By Hal Kronsberg, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Truly addressing health disparities and racial justice requires an intense and challenging examination of our own clinical practices and how they may perpetuate inequalities. We must continually hold ourselves and our institutions accountable on the path to building a more just medicine.

May 18, 2020 | 2 min read

Remembering Our Call to Medicine

By Aidan Crowley, Medical Student, University of Pennsylvania

Remembering why we chose a career in medicine can perhaps bolster our sense of well-being and mitigate burnout.

WWI Battle of Verdun Cemetery, Verdun, France.

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.

December 19, 2018 | <1 min read

Dr. Michael Carducci, A CLOSLER Look

By Gretchen Miller, Managing Editor

Patients with cancer are vulnerable. There are a lot of emotions associated with this diagnosis, and I want to make patients feel that they are not the disease.

December 5, 2018 | <1 min read

“A CLOSLER Look,” Dr. Rosalyn Stewart

By Gretchen Miller, Managing Editor

When helping vulnerable urban populations, sometimes the biggest challenge is to understand where the patient is at. Then we have to work together with the patient on walking towards wellness, particularly focusing on lifestyle modifications.

October 24, 2018 | <1 min read

Dr. Hugh Calkins: A CLOSLER Look

By Gretchen Miller, Managing Editor

Not requiring a referral or pre-screening patients are two things physicians can do to ensure that more people have access to clinically excellent care.

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.

May 12, 2022 | 2 min read

The “Uninterested” Mom Who Wept

By Precious Ndukwe, MD, Howard University

When caring for an overweight infant as a medical student, I wrongly assumed the mother was overfeeding the baby. This experience will remind me in the future to leave my suppositions at the door.

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.

October 19, 2021 | 2 min read

Asking About Your Patient’s Pet

By Elizabeth Steuber, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Todd Brenner, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Ask patients about their pets. This can build a bridge to talking about topics like functional status, home life, and family dynamics.

July 7, 2021 | 1 min read

Lessons Learned During my Palliative Care Rotation

By Rayah Sawaya, MD, American University of Beirut

In the wake of disaster, I witnessed the value of palliative care firsthand. This service prioritizes patient comfort and end-of-life preferences.

March 23, 2021 | 2 min read

Helping Patients Navigate The Healthcare System

By Kultaj Kaleka, MD, RN, Central Michigan University

We all share in the responsibility of assisting patients who find themselves in unfamiliar healthcare settings and scenarios. By experiencing some of the challenges our patients face, we can help to make systemic changes that will improve care.

August 29, 2018 | <1 min read

Interview With Dr. Geetha: A CLOSLER Look

By Gretchen Miller, Managing Editor

On the importance of meaningful long-term patient-physician partnerships: enjoy a 3-minute video interview with Dr. Duvuru Geetha.

February 23, 2022 | 1 min read

Why we Must be Mentors

By Panagis Galiatsatos, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Mentoring is essential to supporting trainees. Helping learners find their passion and grow will ultimately allow them to find happiness and meaning in their work.

June 13, 2022 | 3 min read

On Wondering

By Crystal Favorito, pre-med, Johns Hopkins Medicine

To wonder is to acknowledge possibility and open the door for progress. As a pre-med, it will help me become a lifelong learner on my professional journey.

May 3, 2018 | 5 min read

Challenges, Choices, and Changes

By Catherine Parrish, MD, Johns Hopkins Community Physicians

CHALLENGE yourself to be a lifelong learner—make CHOICES in your career that make you HAPPY, and use the CHANGES in your personal life to inform and enrich your work.

April 23, 2018 | 2 min read

Knowing Your Patient as a Person

By Roy Ziegelstein, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Knowledge and skill are critical to clinical excellence—however their true value can only be realized when the clinician knows each patient as a person.

September 20, 2018 | 2 min read

Review of ‘Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness, and Humanity’

By Scott Wright, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Dr. Ronald Epstein's book, "Attending," offers insights into mindfulness and connecting with our patients.

January 24, 2022 | 3 min read

What I Learned About Medicine from “The Price is Right”

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

A childhood dream was fulfilled when I won my favorite gameshow. The joy I experienced in that moment is something that I strive to share with patients each day.

The author and her mother enjoying the cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C.. Copyright by the author.

May 27, 2020 | 2 min read

The Weight of the White Coat

By Margot Kelly-Hedrick, MBE, (she/her/hers), Medical Student, Duke University

As the daughter of a frontline physician, and an incoming medical student, the pandemic raises questions about both personal and professional obligations. Open and honest conversations about such responsibilities are critical to professional identity formation.

August 29, 2022 | 2 min read

Takeaways From “The Making of a Surgeon”

By Richard Schaefer, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Reading this book while I was in training inspired me to pursue a surgical career. Rereading it years later, I’m reminded of the importance of treating all patients with dignity.

Serena Williams playing mixed doubles at Wimbledon, 2019. Public domain, Wikipedia. Photo by Brian Minkoff, London Pixels.

June 24, 2020 | 1 min read

3 Things You Can do to Fight Racism

By Christle Nwora, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

We must each take personal responsibility for educating ourselves about racism. Increasing our understanding will allow us to improve health outcomes for all of our patients.