When I began my internal medicine residency in 1987 at Boston City Hospital, all new interns were enrolled in the Housestaff Association, the residents’ union. Some of my resident peers were active leaders in the union. Coming from Minneapolis …
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Physician leader Janet Jokela discusses her article “How federal actions threaten vaccine policy and trust,” highlighting the unprecedented removal of expert members from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and its replacement …
How many times have we heard “Whatever you say doc, I know you will do right by me. You always have and I know you will.” Or, “What do you think, doctor? Do you think I should do this?” Or, …
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Infectious disease physician Janet A. Jokela discusses her article, “Measles is back: Why vaccination is more vital than ever.” Recounting her own experience diagnosing a case in the 1990s, Janet contrasts that …
As an infectious disease fellow years ago, I was called to the hospital in the middle of the night for a possible case of measles.
I reviewed the clinical basics, as I was not quite sure what to expect, not previously …
“So wonderful to see you!”
This phrase was heard repeatedly all over the convention hall at the recent American College of Physicians annual meeting, Internal Medicine 2025. Held in New Orleans last April, the meeting welcomed attendees …
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Janet A. Jokela, an infectious disease physician, discusses her article, “Match Day 2025: Protecting our students’ futures.” She explores the unprecedented challenges facing medical students, including a U.S. measles outbreak, censorship at …
The song from the Broadway musical Hamilton, “(Yorktown) The World Turned Upside Down,” is stuck in my head. Indeed, these are no ordinary times. We have a measles outbreak in the U.S. that has resulted in numerous …
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Janet A. Jokela, an infectious disease physician, discusses her article, “Doctors, grounded in our oath, must act now more than ever,” reflecting on the physician’s solemn commitment to patient care, integrity, and …
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Janet A. Jokela discusses the profound impact of artificial intelligence in health care, exploring how AI is reshaping clinical decision-making, reducing physician burnout, and strengthening the patient-physician bond. She highlights the potential of …
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become an increasingly dominant topic in the daily news. From banking to birding, personalized marketing to publishing, and smart homes to sports, AI is permeating all aspects of society.
In medicine …
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How can gratitude guide health care professionals in navigating political uncertainty, misinformation, and the challenges of post-election transitions? Join us as Janet A. Jokela, an infectious disease physician and Treasurer of the American …
Regardless of how one might have voted in the election, the aftermath now includes a dizzying array of proposed cabinet and other health-related appointments and rumors about what they and the new administration might do. How do we in medicine navigate all of this? The answer may not be intuitive: gratitude. We’re not talking here about insincere gratitude, …
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The fourth-year medical student “Megan” urgently wanted to meet with me. She just returned from an away rotation in pathology in mid-August and wanted to talk. She was not her usual confident self, appearing distracted and pale. She shared that she had thoroughly enjoyed her rotation and had found it stimulating and the faculty inspiring. One of her …
The nickname bestowed on us residents by our internal medicine residency program director was “city savages.” There was a tremendous amount of pride amongst the residency programs in Boston back in the late 1980s, and it was no different in my program.
I recall exploring residencies in Boston. While interviewing at another highly regarded Boston Hospital, I asked the …
Given that September is Women in Medicine month, my thoughts turn to celebrating women across the spectrum of medicine, from pioneers like Elizabeth Blackwell, MD, the first woman to earn a medical degree in the U.S., to physicians today caring for patients day-in and day-out.
A story comes to mind from medical school of a female physician who made …
It was 2018. Previously, “Max” had steadfastly refused all vaccines. Despite his HIV infection, which was well controlled, and my pleading with him over multiple years to get a flu shot, he was firmly opposed. He was intelligent and very matter-of-fact, and we had discussed this often. It was obvious that he did not want to be vaccinated, …
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