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C L O S L E R
Moving Us Closer To Osler
A Miller Coulson Academy of Clinical Excellence Initiative
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Creative Arts in Medicine
Connecting with Patients
Passion in the Medical Profession
Lifelong Learning in Clinical Excellence
Topic Search
March 30, 2021 | 2 min read

Leveraging Your Professional Network For Your Growth

By Kevin Frick, PhD, Johns Hopkins Carey Business School

In your professional network, include those who challenge and question you. Peer feedback and coaching can help improve your care of patients.

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!

June 1, 2021 | 2 min read

The Lifelong Journey in Professional Identity Formation

By Margot Kelly-Hedrick, MD, University of Washington

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

"Enlightenment," by David Kopacz, 2020.

December 28, 2020 | 6 min read

Medical Activism: A Foundation of Professionalism

By David Kopacz, MD, University of Washington

Clinicians should expand their definition of professionalism to include working for societal change to improve the health of all.

"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.

Asking about stress levels, mood, sleep quality, and coping strategies in routine medical discussions can provide insight into a patient’s emotional well-being and open the door for further discussion. 

March 31, 2025 | 2 min read

Care of the mind 

By Paige Seegan, PhD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

By proactively discussing mental health, using non-stigmatizing language, and having a list of resources on hand, healthcare professionals can help patients get the support they need. 

February 12, 2024 | 2 min read

Recognizing and treating substance use disorders in healthcare professionals 

By Gregory Hobelmann, MD, MPH, President of Ashley Addiction Treatment

Healthcare professionals are at least just as vulnerable to substance use disorders as the general public. It never occurred to me that I may be among those numbers, but I am. 

September 17, 2019 | 5 min read

Being Human First

By Kultaj Kaleka, MD, RN, Central Michigan University

Family and friends frequently ask medical trainees for their medical advice. Naturally, our recommendations are not based on medical experience, but rather our shared humanity.

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.

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.

The autism ribbon.

June 12, 2025 | 2 min read

The strengths of neurodiverse healthcare professionals 

Neurodivergent healthcare professionals bring unique attributes to a medical team that can enhance patient care. We can foster inclusive environments that actively support these diverse ways of thinking and working.

October 18, 2021 | 2 min read

Self-Care Isn’t Selfish

By Carolyn Cumpsty-Fowler, PhD, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Clinician well-being is essential to excellent patient care. We endanger our patients when we are burned out and disengaged.

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Minnesota.

April 14, 2025 | 4 min read

Coping with health system dysfunction 

Healthcare systems place tremendous stress on the workforce; some are trying to make working conditions better. On an individual level, healthcare professionals may be able to reduce burnout by setting boundaries, practicing self-care, and taming perfectionism.  

June 25, 2018 | 2 min read

On The Professional Formation of Doctors

By Margaret Chisolm, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

By getting out of the business of knowledge and skills and returning to the work of professional formation, not only will medical schools and their patients win, but doctors—and the profession of medicine as a whole—will too.

January 26, 2021 | 2 min read

How to Talk With Patients About Misinformation

By Stephanie McGann Jantzen, Strategic & Crisis Communications Professional

Educating yourself about misinformation circulating on social media will help you talk with your patients about false claims. This may prevent dangerous behaviors and promote health.

September 2, 2020 | 4 min read

A Call for Advocacy in Medicine

By Sara Wallam, Medical Student, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Systemic racism is prevalent throughout our society. To dismantle disparities in health outcomes for minority patients, clinicians must advocate for their patients at the local level and for communities on a regional and national scale.

February 2, 2023 | 2 min read

We Just Disagree

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

When colleagues offer a conflicting opinion, remember to always put the patient first, check your facts, and be open to learning.  

July 10, 2024 | 2 min read

Lessons from earlier in life: bagging groceries 

The service industry principles I learned while working in a grocery store apply to medicine. These include prioritizing customer needs, actively listening, and appreciating colleagues. 

October 12, 2020 | 2 min read

Advising Parents on a Safe Halloween

By Jade Cobern, MD, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Peyton Pike, MS, CCLS, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Rosemary Hawkins, MS, CCLS, Johns Hopkins Medicine

By being creative, everyone can safely celebrate Halloween this year. Beyond your household, consider holding a neighborhood physically distanced costume parade.

September 21, 2023 | 1 min read

Healthcare Professionals And Fatal Overdose

By Hannah Fetting, MSN, CRNP, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Colleagues with a substance use disorder deserve the utmost compassion. We can offer nonjudgmental support, just like we do for all other conditions. 

February 4, 2019 | 1 min read

Behind the Mask

By Mark Stephens, MD, Penn State College of Medicine

Growing into a sense of oneself as a physician requires self-awareness, thoughtfulness, and a habit of reflective practice. The process of art-making represents an interesting way to examine identity formation over time.

June 13, 2022 | 2 min read

3 Tips from the ED For All Healthcare Professionals

By Rodney Omron, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Sharing appreciations with colleagues and learners is your superpower. Use it. 

September 16, 2024 | 3 min read

What healthcare professionals can learn from Clover, the death doula 

By Scott Wright, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

A novel reminded me about best practices in caring for the dying. “The Collected Regrets of Clover” repeatedly stressed to acknowledge the emotional complexities surrounding death and to never look away from someone’s pain. 

April 8, 2020 | 5 min read

Professionalism of Clinicians and Healthcare Leaders During a Pandemic

By Kat Jong, MD, University of Washington

Working responsibly from home is definitely acceptable. Healthcare leaders and clinicians must partner to ensure that our patients are receiving excellent care, mitigating risks whenever possible.

February 24, 2022 | 3 min read

New dad and healthcare professional

By Ben Roberts, CRNP, AGACNP-BC, ACHPN, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Placing my child’s and my patients’ needs before my own gives me purpose. These responsibilities help mitigate burnout and allow me to give excellent care.

"Helping Hands," by David Kopacz. Copyright with the artist.

November 3, 2020 | 4 min read

Beyond Resilience: Fighting the Causes of The Burnout Pandemic

By David Kopacz, MD, University of Washington

Clinician wellness should be a shared responsibility between individuals and institutions. Beyond facilitating clinician resilience, institutional transformation is needed.

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. 

October 30, 2019 | 13 min read

Partnering With Parents—An Appraisal of Familial Feelings

By Monique Webber

The clinically excellent clinician understands that each family responds to and copes with chronic illness or disability differently. Being open-minded when partnering with families, and especially parents, is critical for ensuring a trusting relationship and providing support.

Dr. Margaret Chisolm enjoying an outdoor art installation at the Glenstone. "FOREST (for a thousand years), 2012." Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller.

February 6, 2019 | 5 min read

On Looking

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

The arts and humanities show us how to live as human beings. Our encounters with art help us to be better healthcare professionals, and give us insights that will help our learners and patients lead meaningful and purposeful lives.

August 2, 2023 | 2 min read

The Art of Communication

By Jennifer Katzenstein, PhD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Often, concise notes to patients or colleagues can suffice. Other times, a conversation —either virtual or in-person—is much better.

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.

September 21, 2022 | 1 min read

Finding Passion, Purpose, and Meaning

By Carisa Parrish, PhD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

When experiencing burnout on the job, enjoying activities outside of work may lead to greater happiness and life satisfaction, until your passion for work returns. 

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. 

"Enlightenment," original painting by David Kopacz. Copyright with the artist.

October 6, 2020 | 4 min read

Yoga is Good Medicine

By David Kopacz, MD, University of Washington

Yoga can help you to restore and reset your mind, emotions, and spirit during stressful times. This practice may allow you to give better care to your patients.

January 12, 2021 | 2 min read

6 ways to engage families to support child mental health

By Barbara Robles, MD, University of Texas

Strong relationships with clinicians can empower children and their families to engage more fully in their mental health treatment.

February 20, 2025 | 2 min read

Insights from the book “Be water, my friend”  

By Scott Wright, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Marvel at the adaptability of water—perhaps you may be able to embrace, rather than resist change. Accepting that healthcare is continuously changing might allow for less frustration.

August 7, 2024 | 2 min read

Squish the peas 

By Jonathan Reisman, MD, Cooper University Health Care

Toddlers offer invaluable lessons for healthcare professionals. By embracing curiosity and focusing on the present, clinicians may enhance patient care, reduce burnout, and improve overall well-being.

July 22, 2020 | 4 min read

Virtue Ethics

By Awais Aftab, MD, Case Western Reserve University

Virtue ethics emphasizes the importance of self-knowledge and can help us to understand our patients in the context of the totality of their whole lives.

December 12, 2023 | 2 min read

“CARE”

By Kelly Buckholdt, PhD, Veterans Health Administration, William Laurento II, MEdL

There’s no more dramatic way to understand patient-centered care than being a patient. 

March 17, 2025 | 7 min read

Caring and uncaring in medicine and beyond 

By David Kopacz, MD, University of Washington

Every moment in medicine, and in life, we have the choice to base our actions in caring.  

April 4, 2022 | 4 min read

Lessons From Puppies About Life And Medicine

By Ankita Sagar, MD, Brooklyn, New York

Adopting a pandemic puppy has reminded me of the value of play, curiosity, listening, perseverance, and vulnerability. This helps me be a better human and give better patient care. 

September 20, 2022 | 2 min read

When And How to Self-disclose

By Meher Kalkat, medical student, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Sharing our own mental health experiences is often discouraged. Sometimes, disclosure may help you connect more deeply with others. 

August 9, 2022 | 1 min read

How to Maintain Clinical Skills During Parental Leave . . . Don’t!

By Jessica Bienstock, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Revel in the wonder and the joy that is new parenthood. The privilege of practicing medicine will be here when you return. 

January 16, 2020 | 2 min read

The Danger of Reinforcing Negative Biases

By Yolonda Wilson, PhD, 2019-2020 Fellow at the National Humanities Center and 2019-2020 Encore Public Voices Fellow

The way clinicians talk about patients publicly reinforces biases about race, gender, class, etc.

January 5, 2023 | 1 min read

Quiet Quitting in Healthcare

By Scott Wright, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

The past three years have been difficult in healthcare and some are now doing less than we used to. Because this may be a temporary strategy, patience and understanding may be the most considerate approach.  

April 25, 2018 | 1 min read

How To Maintain Joy In Practice

By Steve Kravet, MD, MBA, Johns Hopkins Community Physicians

Maintaining joy in practice requires deliberate attention. The emotional and physical investments demanded by healthcare professions are additive and contribute to high levels of stress and burnout. Mitigating this trend requires effort and attention on the part of all stakeholders.  

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.

August 10, 2021 | 2 min read

Cancer, Combat, And Patient-Centered Care

By Richard Schaefer, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine

While caring for a pregnant soldier diagnosed with cancer, I was reminded that learning patients’ stories is vital. Doing so facilitates patient-centered care and meaningful relationships.

December 10, 2024 | 1 min read

A breath of fresh air

By Mike Fingerhood, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Healthcare professionals can prioritize ongoing conversations about the risks of smoking and vaping with young patients, tailoring their approach to address specific concerns and misconceptions.

July 9, 2024 | 3 min read

Takeaways from the book “Progress Notes” 

By Abraham Nussbaum, MD, Denver Health

Excellent clinicians understand patients not just as bodies, but also as individuals within a community. Healthcare professionals should be trained in both for a more holistic approach to patient care. 

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