Jeffrey S. Flier, HMS Dean, 2007–2016
On the cover: A Longwood Symphony Orchestra cellist bows his strings during a performance. LSO musicians are primarily health care professionals, many of them doctors, medical students and scientists from HMS and its affiliated hospitals. Inside cover: During the 2016 Introduction to Patient Clinics, firstyear students hear that they will “learn how to learn medicine at HMS,” because new discoveries will change the field many times during the course of their careers.
One of the first skills medical students practice is how to listen well. Listening is essential for conducting successful patient interviews and taking histories. It is one of the criteria used to evaluate students on national medical board exams. Some medical educators have experimented with the use of music as a teaching tool to develop listening skills—a metaphor for verbal communication in medicine. At one school, intricate classical music pieces were deconstructed to help students sharpen concentration and become more engaged listeners. An effective doctor must be able to “hear” a patient’s unspoken cues, such as variations in pitch, rhythm and repetition. Since 1782, Harvard Medical School physicians and scientists have been deciphering and creating what is needed in the present as well as discerning what might be necessary in the future. Remarkable medical advances have been achieved by innovators attuned to the importance of high-quality patient care and skilled at working in harmony for the betterment of human health. As any conductor can attest, superior listening skills and a dedication to collaboration are required for an orchestra to create complex, beautiful music. This is not unlike the teamwork required of the more than 11,000 HMS faculty on the Quad and at our 15 affiliated teaching hospitals and research institutions. Every year these researchers and clinicians train thousands of students, postdocs and residents, all working in concert to advance discovery, develop therapies and deliver exceptional health care to thousands of patients here and around the world.
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