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Small gestures, such as sparking a conversation when a student volunteers a personal detail, cultivate a welcoming and inclusive environment. Performing these gestures publicly changes the status quo of how others behave and treat those around them, slowly etching away at cultures and institutions that exclude others. An anonymous resident reflects on the sometimes unwelcoming environments she experienced as a new mother who was completing surgical sub internships. The essay read in this episode was published in the Teaching and Learning Moments column in the May 2023 issue of Academic Medicine. Read the essay at academicmedicine.org.

Academic Medicine's editors--Bridget O'Brien, PhD, Jonathan Amiel, MD​, Megan Brown, MBBS(H), PhD, and Laura Hirshfield, PhD--join host Toni Gallo to share practical guidance for designing and reporting qualitative research. They make recommendations for getting started, choosing a methodology, and effectively using published guidelines. Then they dispel common myths around writing up and publishing qualitative research. While the advice in this episode comes from the editors of Academic Medicine, much of it also applies to designing and reporting qualitative research for other journals and publications.  A transcript of this episode and links to the resources mentioned are available at academicmedicineblog.org.

It is my hope that continuing to play with some dirt on my uniform will model to others that they can pick themselves up after they are knocked down and get ready for the next play. Benjamin Vipler reflects on getting his confidence back and turning negative experiences into positive lessons. The essay read in this episode was published in the Teaching and Learning Moments column in the May 2023 issue of Academic Medicine. Read the essay at academicmedicine.org.

The next time that I am unwell, I will take a real sick day—and I hope my colleagues, students, and resident physicians see it. Kathryn Rampon reflects on the detrimental effects of physicians’ reluctance to take time off when ill. The essay read in this episode was published in the Teaching and Learning Moments column in the April 2023 issue of Academic Medicine. Read the essay at academicmedicine.org.

As medical professionals, our patients are putting their trust in us at their most vulnerable moments. It is our responsibility to handle that trust with respect, understand what they need from us both medically and socially, and advocate for those needs. Medicine starts at the bedside with learning about the patient and from the patient. Caroline F. Zhao reflects on the importance of taking the time to recognize the humanism of patients and seeing them for more than just their conditions. The essay read in this episode was published in the Teaching and Learning Moments column in the April 2023 issue of Academic Medicine. Read the essay at academicmedicine.org.

Author Michael Gisondi, MD, provides an overview of this recently published qualitative study in which he and his coauthors examined key stakeholders’ opinions about several proposed reforms to the residency application process. Based on their findings, Gisondi and his coauthors identified important factors to guide future reforms. This article was published in the February 2023 issue of Academic Medicine and can be read at academicmedicine.org.

Since 2020, learning to treat patients with COVID-19 reminds me that we remain humble learners of medicine. All our resources have been stretched—rooms, staff, equipment, compassion—and yet our patients are plentiful and continue to provide us with ample learning opportunities. Cara E. Harasaki recalls two patients, seen years apart, who taught her that physicians never stop learning. The essay read in this episode was published in the Teaching and Learning Moments column in the March 2023 issue of Academic Medicine. Read the essay at academicmedicine.org.

As medical professionals, it is tempting to cultivate a razor-sharp focus on symptoms and diagnoses. Robby helped me realize our former approach was like a racehorse with blinders: fast, but risking missing something important. Brian R. Smith recalls an encounter with a special patient that made him think about restructuring visits to better identify patients’ crucial personal life events. The essay read in this episode was published in the Teaching and Learning Moments column in the March 2023 issue of Academic Medicine. Read the essay at academicmedicine.org.

Faith is relevant to the clinical interaction when it gives patients and clinicians a shared ground upon which to stand in the midst of chaos, and my experience … showed me that spirituality can effect healing when all else fails. Troy B. Amen reflects on how sharing a faith with patients can sometimes provide comfort and support when they need it most. The essay read in this episode was published in the Teaching and Learning Moments column in the March 2023 issue of Academic Medicine. Read the essay at academicmedicine.org.

When we form enriched relationships, we allow ourselves to feel grief for the patients we lose, and likewise, joy for the patients who leave healthier than when they arrived. Zarin I. Rahman reflects on forming connections with patients over commonalities such as faith, language, or favorite sandwiches, and appreciating knowing them for even a short time. The essay read in this episode was published in the Teaching and Learning Moments column in the February 2023 issue of Academic Medicine. Read the essay at academicmedicine.org.

Guests Courtney Newman and Jaclyn Albin, MD, join host Toni Gallo to discuss culinary medicine and its role in teaching nutrition, nutrition counseling, and hands-on cooking skills to medical students. The conversation also covers how culinary medicine programs build connections and community and improve the well-being of students, faculty, and patients. A transcript of this episode is available at academicmedicineblog.org.  Read the article discussed in this episode: Newman C, Yan J, Messiah S, Albin J. Culinary medicine as innovative nutrition education for medical students: A scoping review. Acad Med. 2023;98:274-286.

Every now and then, a patient will bring me new insights and knowledge, such as lessons on rare diseases that I would not have learned if I had not seen them in person. These rare patients … instilled in me the ability to be hyper-observant and detail oriented. Nadia Falah reflects on a patient with a rare genetic condition and how learning to become a physician entails far more than simply passing an exam. The essay read in this episode was published in the Teaching and Learning Moments column in the February 2023 issue of Academic Medicine. Read the essay at academicmedicine.org.

Medical students … need to build out reality-based curricula that equip future physicians to provide trauma-informed, harm-reductionist care. Patients need to be addressed in their context. Perhaps to do so, we need to take off our white coats and get our boots a little muddy. Rebecca Bromley-Dulfano reflects on street medicine and learning to care for patients who may be without basic resources outside the clinic setting. The essay read in this episode was published in the Teaching and Learning Moments column in the January 2023 issue of Academic Medicine. Read the essay at academicmedicine.org.

On this remarkable day, however, it was clear. This woman knew who I was, months later and from only the sound of my voice, proving to me for the first time how our small actions can have a large impact. Umer Farooq, a resident physician in the Department of Internal Medicine at Loyola Medicine/MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn, Illinois, reflects on the unexpected, yet gratifying relationships formed between physicians and patients’ family members during the COVID-19 pandemic. The essay read in this episode was published in the Teaching and Learning Moments column in the January 2023 issue of Academic Medicine. Read the essay at academicmedicine.org.

As faculty, we are called to instruct and mentor students. And yet ... B, my colleagues, and friends of color have taught me lessons of far greater importance. Sara B. Police, assistant professor and director of nutritional sciences education in the Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine in Lexington, Kentucky, reflects on her meaningful journey from awareness to education to involvement in diversity, equity, and inclusion. The essay read in this episode was published in the Teaching and Learning Moments column in the January 2023 issue of Academic Medicine. Read the essay at academicmedicine.org.

My experience that night in the ICU was the wake-up call I needed. It was a reminder to shift my priorities back to the patient. It was a reminder that my job was more than check boxes and administrative tasks. Nicholas R. Lenze, a resident in otolaryngology/head and neck surgery at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, reflects on the delicate balance between being an efficient resident and a doctor. The essay read in this episode was published in the Teaching and Learning Moments column in the December 2022 issue of Academic Medicine. Read the essay at academicmedicine.org.

She is a strong woman. The strongest woman I’ve probably ever met. Her strength is in her joyful spirit and the kindness she exudes to everyone she meets…. She is my mother, and she has been quite the model of unconditional love, service, kindness, and sacrifice. Nurse practitioner Danielle Blackwell reflects on the person who inspired her to become a nurse. This essay placed third in the 2022 Hope Babette Tang Humanism in Healthcare Essay Contest and was published in the October 2022 issue of Academic Medicine. Read the essay at academicmedicine.org.

When I think back on my career thus far, I do not remember the shifts that I left early or the days when everything went perfectly. But when Willie Nelson comes on over the radio, I can close my eyes and picture the vibrant colors of a woman’s last sunset. Graduate nursing student Jessica Pierce reflects on what brings meaning to her job—discovering the person inside each patient and letting them see her compassion in return. This essay placed first in the 2022 Hope Babette Tang Humanism in Healthcare Essay Contest and was published in the December 2022 issue of Academic Medicine. Read the essay at academicmedicine.org.

The editors of Academic Medicine share their advice for authors submitting their scholarship for publication and describe what they look for when they’re reviewing submissions. Also included are resources to help authors write successfully and publish their work. This episode is meant for new authors and authors new to medical education and, while the advice comes from the editors of Academic Medicine, much of it also applies to other types of medical education scholarship, to scholarly publishing in other disciplines, and to submissions to other journals and publications. A transcript of this episode and links to the resources mentioned are available at academicmedicineblog.org.

What I do know is in the desert of the Middle East I learned that the right decision isn’t always the easiest or most appealing. Our patients don’t need our judgment; they need our help. Medical student Mason Blacker reflects on treating patients while stationed in Iraq and what is truly right and important in life. This essay placed first in the 2022 Hope Babette Tang Humanism in Healthcare Essay Contest and was published in the December 2022 issue of Academic Medicine. Read the essay at academicmedicine.org.