Lecture Archives
2023-present | 2014-2020
2025
“Simulation-Based Education: Quality & Safety Imperative in Modern Healthcare,” was presented by James A. Gordon, MD, MPA, MGH vice president of Education and Chief Learning Officer on March 11.
He discussed how improving education can lead to better healthcare outcomes, and why medical simulation plays a crucial tool in training healthcare professionals and enhancing patient care. Watch now
“Current State and Future Direction of Obesity Treatment,” was presented by MGH physician Jennifer Mulligan, MD of the Massachusetts General Hospital Weight Management Center.
Obesity is a complex, chronic, treatable disease. For many patients, a multidisciplinary treatment approach is key. Find out how changes to obesity treatment have evolved and how current research is informing future therapeutic and management options. Watch now
The annual MGH Poetry at Work event, co-sponsored by the MGH Writer-in-Residence program. “Creativity After COVID: Five Years Later” explored poetry, art and music that came out of the pandemic. Watch now
2024
MGH cardiologist Jag Singh’s book Future Care: Sensors, Artificial Intelligence, and the Reinvention of Medicine examines the need for understanding and adapting to a health care future centered on sensor-aided virtual care that is powered by artificial intelligence. Watch now
Sickle cell disease is a genetic blood disorder that is most commonly seen in people of color. For decades, this patient population has suffered bias that has affected federal funding for research into this life-threatening disease, leading to a lag in treatment options. Dr. Sharl Azar will discuss the effects of this bias for patients and what the future holds for treatment of this devastating disorder. Watch now
During the early days of COVID-19, MGH surgeon Cornelia Griggs was on the front lines as case numbers grew, medical supplies dwindled, and health care providers pushed themselves and medicine beyond known limits to take care of their patients, and ultimately, themselves. Griggs discussed her harrowing personal experiences with MGH Writer-in-Residence Suzanne Koven, MD. Watch now
The Paul S. Russell, MD Museum of Medical History and Innovation at Massachusetts General Hospital and the MGH Writer-in-Residence Program marked their 6th Annual MGH Celebration of National Poetry Month – “Poetry at Work: The Costs of Caregiving.” Watch now
Practicing medicine is a particular challenge in environments where resources are limited — from urban disaster settings to the Arctic to outer space. On May 22, MGH Wilderness Medicine division chief N. Stuart Harris, MD, MFA, describes the latest in care at the final frontiers. Watch now
Evidence supports the idea that brushing and flossing saves lives and prevents more costly health care. On June 11, Leonard Brennan, DMD and Denise O’Connell, MSW, LCSW, of the Lunder-Dineen Health Education Alliance of Maine’s MOTIVATE Program discussed the implications of oral health care on the overall health of older adults. Watch now
On October 1, 1824, two young doctors named Edward Reynolds, MD, and John Jeffries II, MD, took it upon themselves to treat the eye diseases of the Boston poor at a free public clinic in a small, rented room in Boston’s West End. Two centuries later, the Mass Eye and Ear continues to welcome patients from all over the world and is a recognized leader in clinical care, research, education and community service for those with eye, ear, nose and throat ailments. Watch now
Melissa Pritchard’s biographical novel “Flight of the Wild Swan” tells the story of Florence Nightingale, a woman determined to fulfill a calling to serve the sick and suffering. Through her work with this population, Nightingale would become the founder of modern-day nursing.
Join us as author Pritchard and MGH’s Writer in Residence Suzanne Koven, MD, MFA, explore how Nightingale broke through Victorian mores to transform the role of women in medicine. Watch now
Gout, once considered a disease of the affluent, has been making a comeback, affecting approximately 8 percent of Americans annually. This form of arthritis presents a host of acute onset symptoms that often appear at night.
Dr. Michael Barry of the Mass General Division of General Internal Medicine will discuss the disease, its causes, and what new methods are being used to diagnose and treat this age-old condition that Benjamin Franklin referred to as his “cruel suffering.” Watch now
At the start of the 19th century, few nurses worked in hospitals, and patients were often cared for by untrained female relatives. In 1873, the Boston Training School for Nurses, based on the model established by Florence Nightingale, was founded to provide professional nursing care. Join us as Mary E. Larkin, MS, RN, CRN-BC, chair of the MGH Nurses’ Alumni Association’s History Committee, discusses the school’s relationship with MGH and its extraordinary worldwide influence. Watch now
2023
Sufficient sleep is vital for normal function; insufficient sleep and/or sleep disorders are associated with increased risk of hypertension, obesity, mood disorders, errors and accidents. It is also one of the most obvious rhythms affected by the circadian clock. Dr. Klerman discussed her research on the role of sleep; why you need it, how to improve it, and why night is the best time to sleep. Watch now
Marginalized populations face health disparities in research, diagnosis and treatment at a higher rate of incidence than many other groups. Dr. Saadi discussed the potential for improving health outcomes for these patients through action-oriented and policy-relevant goals. Watch now
In 1923, the New England Journal of Medicine began publishing the “Case Records of the Massachusetts General Hospital.” The records are based on conferences established at the hospital in the late 1800s, in which clinicians puzzle out diagnoses of unusual cases. Case Records editor Dr. Eric Rosenberg moved through a century of diagnostic mysteries. Watch now
The MGH Rural Medicine Program, in partnership with the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of South Dakota, works to strengthen the local health care system. Since 2016, Sioux leaders and MGH caregivers have worked together to continuously address the health care gaps in rural and reservation-based communities. Watch now
In 2022, there were more than 48,000 gun deaths and 600 mass shootings in the U.S., yet funding for gun violence prevention research is difficult to obtain and most doctors are not taught how to approach the topic with patients. MGH Hospitalist Chana Sacks, MD, is a general internist at MGH. She co-founded the Mass General Gun Violence Prevention Center and formed the Mass General Gun Violence Prevention Coalition following a gun tragedy that profoundly affected her family. Dr. Sacks discussed why she has become a vocal advocate for gun violence prevention research and why she views gun violence as a solvable problem.
While this talk wasn’t recorded, we encourage you to visit the site of Transforming Narratives of Gun Violence, a collaboration by Sacks with Emerson College.
Looking for older lectures? Go to our Lecture Archives: 2014–2020