You searched for painting - CLOSLER

November 5, 2024 | 1 min read

From ICU to canvas

By Zeina Moukarzel, MD, MPH, Beirut, Lebanon

Art is a form of reflection on my career as an ICU physician. Through this painting, I wanted to capture the contrast between the technical aspects of medicine and the emotional reality of losing a loved one.

"Community," acrylic on canvas, copyright with the artist.

March 5, 2024 | <1 min read

Community support

By Carolyn Im, medical student, Johns Hopkins Medicine

This painting celebrates that individuality of every patient and also highlights the help they can receive from their community in times of need.

"Dreamscape." Painting by the author.

September 30, 2024 | <1 min read

Approaching the horizon

By Jessica Berry, PhD, clinical psychologist

My painting, “Dreamscape,” represents the importance of acknowledging and addressing patients' feelings about aging and mortality.

Author's photos, including a photo of the portrait of Anna (center).

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.

"Laine," by William Stoehr.

April 17, 2025 | 1 min read

HOPE

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

June 8, 2021 | 1 min read

Loved Ones: Seize The Opportunity

By Jeffrey Millstein, MD, Penn Medicine

Ask for loved ones’ input during clinic visits. Different perspectives may shed new light on patient concerns.

Artwork by Megan Gerber. Copyright by Megan Gerber.

February 3, 2020 | 5 min read

Joyful Deficiencies

By Megan Gerber, MD, MPH, Albany Medical College

Creative expression can provide needed counterbalance to the outcomes-driven world of medicine.

December 5, 2023 | 3 min read

Museums make me a better clinician

By Johannes Thorman, MD, Scania University Hospital, Malmo, Sweden

Museum-based health professions education is an emerging field. Studying visual art can help healthcare professionals become more patient, collaborative, rigorous, and appreciative of their colleagues.

Original painting by Dr. David Kopacz.

August 24, 2023 | 2 min read

it is internship year

By David Kopacz, MD, University of Washington

To give excellent patient care, healthcare professionals must prioritize their own mental health and that of their trainees. This could include self-help strategies, like writing, along with professional support.

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.

"Hero's Journey," by David Kopacz.

July 27, 2022 | 1 min read

Hero’s Journey

By David Kopacz, MD, University of Washington

Suffering and wounds (visible and invisible) can provide opportunities for patients to gain wisdom and healing.

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 5, 2018 | 1 min read

Getting the Most Out of Your Eyes

By Scott Wright, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

If you look at your patients as you would a piece of art in a museum, you will notice many details that would otherwise be missed.

"MaskLand Undone," by Megan Gerber.

August 3, 2022 | <1 min read

MaskLand Undone

By Megan Gerber, MD, MPH, Albany Medical College

Sitting with clinical uncertainty is challenging. Embracing this ambiguity can lead to new understandings about our patients and their healing journeys.

June 2, 2022 | 2 min read

‘68 Chevy Camaro

By Jennifer Eitingon, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

If we limit the way we view our patients, we will miss out on what makes them who they are. By taking time to learn more about them as people, we can connect and offer better care.

May 29, 2024 | 1 min read

Unstable housing, unstable health

By Stasia Reynolds, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Routinely asking patients about housing insecurity can help identify those who are at-risk of poor health outcomes. Understanding a patient's living situation can help you provide realistic guidance.

July 27, 2023 | 2 min read

Book Review of “The Pastoral Clinic”

By Juliana Fan, medical student, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Garcia’s ethnography highlights the need for healthcare professionals to foster hope, particularly when working with patients with opioid use disorder. Remember to be kind, patient, and positive with those who are suffering.

June 25, 2018 | 2 min read

Identity Part II: Knowing Your Own Past

I’m not a doctor who engages with the community; rather, I’m a community member who became a doctor. This identity has helped me strengthen and maintain my relationships with my patients.

Édouard Manet: "A Bar at the Folies-Bergère," 1881-1882. This is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional, public domain work of art. The work of art itself is in the public domain for the following reason: Public domain This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or less.

August 6, 2019 | 7 min read

July Art Museum Challenge

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

The skills required in the clinic are the same as those in the art gallery: to examine, investigate, embrace ambiguity, consider multiple interpretations, reflect, collaborate, and learn.

"L'Atelier au mimosa," Pierre Bonnard.

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.

Ruth and Carl J. Shapiro Gallery (Gallery 232), Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, featuring "Daughters of Edward Darley Boit," by John Singer Sargent (American, 1856–1925). Photograph by Flora Smyth Zahra.

June 6, 2019 | 7 min read

May Art Museum Challenge

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

The art museum is a space that has lessons to teach about clinical excellence, and fosters both the personal development and professional identity formation of clinicians.

"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.

"Granulation," by Dr. Megan Gerber. Copyright with the artist.

February 1, 2021 | 4 min read

Processing Emotions Through Art

By Megan Gerber, MD, MPH, Albany Medical College

Writing or drawing after a challenging patient encounter may help you work through your feelings and mitigate burnout.

Dr. Margaret Chisolm captures a photograph of the painting, "John, 1st Baron Byron," 2013, Kehinde Wiley (American, born in 1977), at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

April 8, 2019 | 5 min read

On Looking: March Museum Visit

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

Visual Thinking Strategies and the Personal Response Tour are two examples of museum-based pedagogical practice that build critical thinking skills, foster empathy, and allow for reflective space away from the clinic.

"The Separate," by Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, 2011. Used under the Fair Use Act for analytic writing purposes.

December 9, 2020 | 3 min read

Restorative Pauses

By Kamna Balhara, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Sarah Clever, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Deliberately taking time to pause and look at art can be therapeutic for both clinicians and patients alike.

Helen Brooke Taussig (May 24, 1898 - May 20, 1986), American cardiologist who founded the field of pediatric cardiology. Photograph taken for the cover of Modern Medicine, January 21, 1963. Wikipedia, public domain.

April 1, 2020 | 4 min read

Strength in Vulnerability

By Kamna Balhara, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Sarah Clever, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

There is strength in acknowledging our fears individually and facing them collectively.

Original artwork by Trisha Smith.

May 7, 2024 | 1 min read

Putting back the pieces

By Trisha Smith, MA, Charlotte, North Carolina

When I was recovering from cancer, painting abstract watercolors became my healing outlet. It allowed me to process emotions, sparked self-discovery, and led me to a career in art therapy.

The courtyard within the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, Massachusetts. Photograph by Flora Smyth Zahra.

November 26, 2019 | 7 min read

October Art Museum Challenge

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

Students appreciate the opportunity to engage with one another in the sanctuary of an art museum; the setting itself fosters well-being.

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.

November 8, 2022 | 1 min read

Brown Girl Narratives

By Kristal Brown, PhD, MSPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Art can be healing. With this in mind, I brought together the community to paint an uplifting mural.

March 11, 2024 | 2 min read

Hold my hand

By Jonathan McFarland, Medical Humanist, Autonomous University of Madrid & University of Pompeu Fabra

When my friend was dying, I realized the importance of a comforting touch, like holding hands. This physical connection can give comfort to both healer and patient.

"Rinaldo and Armida," 1629, Anthony van Dyke. Public domain.

September 4, 2019 | 7 min read

From Frameside to Bedside: Pauses and Perspective

By Kamna Balhara, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

The art of medicine must balance stillness and motion. Making time to reflect can infuse more meaning in our interactions with patients.

Original painting by Laurel Stewart. Photo copyright by the author.

June 9, 2020 | 2 min read

A Clinic Transformed by Art

By Margot Kelly-Hedrick, MD, University of Washington

Making clinical spaces beautiful enhances the climate for patients and the healthcare team alike. One way to do this is to explore local partnerships with artists.

October 5, 2020 | 3 min read

How to Talk About Your Patient’s Electronic Communication

By Leslie Miller, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Asking patients to show you their social media posts may give unique insights into their mental well-being and improve care.

April 13, 2020 | 3 min read

Social Distancing, Not Emotional Distancing

By Loveleena Virk, MD, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland Medical Center, California.

Creating space to recognize and manage feelings of helplessness is critical to prevent burnout and maintain wellness during the pandemic. We share strategies in this piece to help you cope during these challenging times.

Saint Brides Bay (Bae Sain Ffraid), Pembrokeshire, Wales, Author's Photo.

January 24, 2019 | 4 min read

Cultivating Caring

By David Kopacz, MD, University of Washington

Compassion begins with caring for ourselves and working to grow as full human beings. It is not just the lives of our patients that depend on us learning this component of caring, the quality of our own lives depend upon learning this as well.

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.

"An Orchid," Georgia O'Keefe, 1941, Museum of Modern Art.

November 13, 2018 | 2 min read

Seeing the Unseen

By Lauren Small, PhD

To start seeing the unseen, carving out five minutes to sit down and just listen to your patient can make a difference.

"Shamanic Vision." Original painting by the author. Copyright with the author.

April 2, 2020 | 4 min read

Staying Connected Inside and Out During the Pandemic

By David Kopacz, MD, University of Washington

Finding creative ways to connect to ourselves and to others is more important than ever in these days of social distancing.

Ahjeetha Shankar dancing.

August 22, 2024 | 3 min read

Dancing closer to patients

By Ahjeetha Shankar, medical student, Johns Hopkins Medicine

During medical school, I learned the importance of pursuing personal passions outside of the hospital. Reconnecting with my love of Indian dance has enhanced my ability to connect with patients about their own hobbies.

An example of a trompe l’oeil in a geriatric hospital setting. Copyright by the author.

January 27, 2020 | 3 min read

Ethical Dilemmas in Dementia Care Design

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

Innovative dementia care designs raise moral questions about whether deception of patients is ever ethical. The clinically excellent physician tries to avoid deception at all costs.

March 20, 2024 | 2 min read

“HEARTS”

Creating and appreciating art as part of professional development can foster connection, promote well-being, and cultivate empathy. It can also provide opportunities for self-reflection.

"An Infinity Room Installation," Yayoi Kusama. Wikivisually.com. Public Domain.

December 19, 2019 | 5 min read

November Art Museum Challenge

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

The reality of clinical practice can be complex and uncertain and these sessions away from the clinics in and around the art museum space allow students through haptic exploration to become more comfortable with ambiguity.

"Mirror." Copyright with Andrew Kwok.

September 14, 2023 | 2 min read

Mirror, Mirror on The Wall

By Andrew Kwok, medical student, Albany Medical College

To become an excellent doctor, I learned to create a personalized medical education plan that plays to my strengths within the formal curriculum.

March 7, 2023 | 6 min read

When The Doctor Becomes The Patient

By David Kopacz, MD, University of Washington

Cancer interrupted my personal and professional lives. Being a patient is an invitation to be human, something we often don’t have much time for in medicine. I am working to bring together the best of being a doctor, being a patient, and being a human being.

December 8, 2023 | 1 min read

Supporting those with AUD through the holidays

By Megan Gerber, MD, MPH, Albany Medical College

Find a way to celebrate this holiday season that includes and validates those who may be in recovery.

May 24, 2018 | 2 min read

My Professional Totem

By Margaret Chisolm, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

A psychiatrist shares her story of how a painting by Raphael has reminded her of of why she wanted to become a doctor and what the profession of medicine is all about.

December 20, 2018 | 9 min read

You’re not getting my f-ing box cutter: paradoxical ways kids ask for limits

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

The most important lesson I’ve learned as a child psychiatrist is how badly kids want limits when they’re struggling, even when they keep that wish to themselves. Kids are smart, and when we catch them breaking a rule, we need to be curious about why it happened.

September 15, 2021 | 5 min read

Being Grateful for a Difficult Physician-Patient Experience

By Margaret Chisolm, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

A frustrating experience as a patient taught me how to be a better doctor. Lesson #1: Always take an interest in your patient as a person.

July 29, 2021 | 2 min read

Lessons From Duke Ellington

By Jeffrey Millstein, MD, Penn Medicine

Listening to The Duke, I realized that I care for patients best when my clinical encounters are like jazz duets—lots of listening and imbued with improvised spontaneous interplay.