Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Why physicians need to write

Louise Aronson, MD
Physician
May 21, 2013
137 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

shutterstock_114133564

Should doctors be able to write?

At first glance, this might seem like a question with an easy answer.

Yes, you might say, doctors receive a doctorate and are trusted with communicating to and about people at critical moments in their lives. Or you could reply, No, they are scientists and so need to be functional communicators able to write basic notes and prescriptions, and anything more than that is professional frosting.

As with all questions, sorting out which answer is (more) correct is easier if we define our terms.

The key words in this question are ‘doctor’ and ‘write’. Both have literal bare-bones definitions, and both play out in the real world in myriad and widely varied ways. For the purposes of this post, doctor means a licensed physician who engages in clinical care, research, education, or health care leadership and writing means the ability to use narrative to effectively communicate ideas, thoughts, feelings and opinions to others.

Of course, as a doctor-writer who teaches other doctors how to write, I should admit that I’m biased.

But I recognize that I am a doctor who enjoys writing and wants it as part of her career. From that perspective, writing might be one of my hobbies, comparable to the activities of colleagues who invent creative cocktails, build musical instruments from raw materials, or breed lamas (…yup, I know at least one doctor who does each of these things…)

The difference between these activities and writing is that one can be a very fine physician without ever having mixed a drink, carved the fine curves of a violin, or inspired romance between lamas.

On the other hand, I would argue that one cannot be a good doctor without being able to communicate one’s thoughts, knowledge, opinions, and analyses in writing. Sure, a person might be a remarkably skilled surgeon or an uncannily perceptive leader of family meetings, but if that information isn’t relayed accurately and effectively in the chart or in written materials for families, the well-being of patients and families are in jeopardy. These faulty hand-offs, transitions, and instructions have been shown, repeatedly, to be the cause of medical errors, readmissions to hospitals, unnecessary tests, and death.

And that’s just one aspect of the doctor’s role. Another fundamental set of professional responsibilities, cited in the Physician Charter, adopted by leading medical societies in the US, Canada, UK and Europe in 2002 included “providing expert advice to society on matters of health.”

Note, it doesn’t say “to patients” but “to society” – and what are the most effective ways to reach large numbers of people? There are really just three modalities: text, audio, and video. And the latter two, to be effective, often have scripts. Moreover, they always require the clarity of language and expression, mastery of storytelling, and judicious use of data that can best be taught and practiced through writing.

So my vote on should doctors be able to write?

A resounding yes.

We don’t – won’t, can’t – all be Chekhov or Gawande, but we should all have some basic ability to discuss matters of health and health care in ways that are accessible, interesting, and informative to people with no medical background.

Lucky for me, it seems increasing numbers of other doctors agree: In the last few months, I have taught public medical writing at the University of California San Diego, Oregon Health Sciences University, the Society of General Internal Medicine meetings (with Lisa Saunders of the New York Times and Anna Reisman of Slate), and the American Geriatrics Society annual meeting, to name a just a few.

At each place, I encountered health professionals eager to tell stories of their patients, colleagues, research and practice, and at each place I was thrilled to find that alchemy of passion, advocacy, expertise, and talent necessary to produce good work and improve the world.

My hat’s off to them.

Louise Aronson is a geriatrician and the author of A History of the Present Illness. She blogs at her self-titled site, Louse Aronson, and can be found on Twitter @LouiseAronson.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

Science alone can’t make tough decisions for us

May 21, 2013 Kevin 1
…
Next

Will high tech innovations actually improve health outcomes?

May 21, 2013 Kevin 2
…

Tagged as: Primary Care

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Science alone can’t make tough decisions for us
Next Post >
Will high tech innovations actually improve health outcomes?

More by Louise Aronson, MD

  • The problems with patient feedback forms and how to fix them

    Louise Aronson, MD
  • 10 potential benefits of robot caregivers

    Louise Aronson, MD
  • Where can doctors publish literary writing?

    Louise Aronson, MD

More in Physician

  • Challenging the diagnosis: dehydration or bias?

    Sydney Lou Bonnick, MD
  • Practicing medicine with conviction

    Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA
  • The power of memory in shaping human identity

    Emily F. Peters and Sandeep Jauhar, MD, PhD
  • Physicians have no autonomy. Here’s how to change that.

    Diane W. Shannon, MD, MPH
  • The erosion of patient care

    Laura de la Torre, MD
  • Navigating adulthood in the digital age

    Eleanor Menzin, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The erosion of patient care

      Laura de la Torre, MD | Physician
    • Challenging the diagnosis: dehydration or bias?

      Sydney Lou Bonnick, MD | Physician
    • COVID-19 unleashed an ongoing crisis of delirium in hospitals

      Christina Reppas-Rindlisbacher, MD, Nathan Stall, MD, and Paula Rochon, MD | Conditions
    • A teenager’s perspective: the pressing need for mental health days in schools

      Ruhi Saldanha | Conditions
    • Utilizing AI may reduce maternal and infant mortality

      Matt Eakins, MD | Tech
    • Physician autonomy and patient interactions in corporate health care

      Michele Luckenbaugh | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Medical gaslighting: a growing challenge in today’s medical landscape

      Tami Burdick | Conditions
    • I want to be a doctor who can provide care for women: What states must I rule out for my medical education?

      Nandini Erodula | Education
    • Balancing opioid medication in chronic pain

      L. Joseph Parker, MD | Conditions
    • The erosion of patient care

      Laura de la Torre, MD | Physician
    • Reigniting after burnout: 3 physician stories

      Kim Downey, PT | Physician
    • Mourning the silent epidemic: the physician suicide crisis and suggestions for change

      Amna Shabbir, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Utilizing AI may reduce maternal and infant mortality

      Matt Eakins, MD | Tech
    • Unraveling the complex enigma of obesity [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Second chances and simple beauty in thrift stores

      Debbie Moore-Black, RN | Conditions
    • How to facilitate caregiver learning and support to improve clinical care outcomes

      Kerri Milyko, PhD | Tech
    • Air quality alert: Reducing our carbon footprint in health care

      Shreya Aggarwal, MD | Conditions
    • Exploring HIV care and advocacy [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 3 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • What Percent of Kids Had Long COVID?
  • Primary Care Visits With NPs, PAs on the Rise; C. Diff in the Intensive Care Unit
  • Are Obesity Drugs for Adolescents Cost-Effective?
  • Lab Tests That Escape FDA Oversight May Come Under Agency Review
  • Fezolinetant Benefits Women Not Suited for Hormone Therapy

Meeting Coverage

  • Fezolinetant Benefits Women Not Suited for Hormone Therapy
  • Plant-Based Estrogen Improves Lipids in Postmenopausal Women
  • New Schizophrenia Treatments Are Coming: Don't Panic
  • Loneliness Needs to Be Treated Like Any Other Health Condition, Researcher Suggests
  • Stopping Medical Misinformation Requires Early Detection
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The erosion of patient care

      Laura de la Torre, MD | Physician
    • Challenging the diagnosis: dehydration or bias?

      Sydney Lou Bonnick, MD | Physician
    • COVID-19 unleashed an ongoing crisis of delirium in hospitals

      Christina Reppas-Rindlisbacher, MD, Nathan Stall, MD, and Paula Rochon, MD | Conditions
    • A teenager’s perspective: the pressing need for mental health days in schools

      Ruhi Saldanha | Conditions
    • Utilizing AI may reduce maternal and infant mortality

      Matt Eakins, MD | Tech
    • Physician autonomy and patient interactions in corporate health care

      Michele Luckenbaugh | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Medical gaslighting: a growing challenge in today’s medical landscape

      Tami Burdick | Conditions
    • I want to be a doctor who can provide care for women: What states must I rule out for my medical education?

      Nandini Erodula | Education
    • Balancing opioid medication in chronic pain

      L. Joseph Parker, MD | Conditions
    • The erosion of patient care

      Laura de la Torre, MD | Physician
    • Reigniting after burnout: 3 physician stories

      Kim Downey, PT | Physician
    • Mourning the silent epidemic: the physician suicide crisis and suggestions for change

      Amna Shabbir, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Utilizing AI may reduce maternal and infant mortality

      Matt Eakins, MD | Tech
    • Unraveling the complex enigma of obesity [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Second chances and simple beauty in thrift stores

      Debbie Moore-Black, RN | Conditions
    • How to facilitate caregiver learning and support to improve clinical care outcomes

      Kerri Milyko, PhD | Tech
    • Air quality alert: Reducing our carbon footprint in health care

      Shreya Aggarwal, MD | Conditions
    • Exploring HIV care and advocacy [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Why physicians need to write
3 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...