In 2017, we shared a variety of blog posts with our readers, from deeply personal experiences to book reviews to useful toolkits created by Gold grantees. As the year draws to a close, we are taking a look back at which posts were the most popular:
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2017 Summer Reading for Compassionate Clinicians:
A perennial favorite: The list of our recommended summer reads. Books on the 2017 roster included reflections by physicians on patient communication and mindfulness, the powerful story of Henrietta Lacks and her cells ahead of the HBO film, and a guide to awakening compassion at work. |
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New Curriculum Helps Trauma Docs Communicate Better with Patients
How do you share news with a family about a patient who has been in a traumatic event, such as a mass car accident? Through a Picker-Gold Challenge Grant from The Arnold P. Gold Foundation, a team of Rutgers physicians addressed the dearth of communication lessons in clinical training in trauma. They designed a new Graduate Medical Education curriculum that includes practice simulations, a new ABCDE mnemonic, online video training, and a free downloadable toolkit available to anyone. |
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Review of “Attending” by Ronald Epstein:
Our Health Communications Fellow reviewed Dr. Ronald Epstein’s new book, “Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness, and Humanity,” which explored the challenges of doctoring today, the impact of mindfulness, and how problems can be curtailed or avoided. |
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Review of “If I Understood You, Would I have this Look on my Face?” by Alan Alda
The director of our Research Institute reviewed Alan Alda’s new book about the “art and science of relating and communicating.” Using stories, Alan Alda shows us that relating is dependent on the context and asks us to reconsider our use of technical language that may separate us from patients and non-medical colleagues. |
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The Epidemic of Physician Burnout
During the month of September, we launched a campaign to raise awareness on the epidemic of physician burnout. We highlighted what we know so far and what we are continuing to do about this epidemic. |
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ICD 10-Z73.0: Burnout:
A resident reflects on the possible cultural and systemic causes behind the troubling rise in physician burnout: “We are taught early in our training that doctors are supposed to be strong for their patients. We are taught that the virtues of hard work and selflessness are key attributes to becoming a successful physician. After just two years of residency, I recognized that those same virtues and our ‘hang in there’ medical culture encourages a façade of strength.” |
