Only nine months have passed since the debut of CLOSLER, a robust, free and open-access medical education website hosted by the Miller Coulson Academy of Clinical Excellence. But already the site has gained a loyal following among clinicians, and the number of people who tap into the online resource is growing by the day – with more than 3,000 subscribers signed up to receive weekly email highlights.
“The engagement we’re seeing in CLOSLER is truly an astounding achievement, exceeding all of our expectations,” says executive editor Scott Wright, director of the Miller Coulson Academy and the Anne G. and G. Thomas Miller Professor of Medicine. “We couldn’t be more excited about the potential of the possible: to make a huge global impact on clinical care around the world.”
Adds managing editor Gretchen Miller, “Since launching last March, we continue to fulfill our ambitious goal of posting fresh content every day that offers perspectives on clinical excellence, and we are building a dynamic Twitter community of medical education learners around the world. We’re off to a very strong start!”
The CLOSLER team posts compelling two- and three-minute reads written by Miller Coulson scholars and other doctors. Among the pearls: Hopkins
psychiatrist Angela Guarda, for example, writes movingly about the importance of believing in recovery for all – inspired by an unforgettable experience she had with a young patient with an eating disorder. And hemato-oncologist Satish Shanbhag shares insights about developing empathy for patients “by visualizing ourselves as an extension of the patient’s family.”
“In less than a year, CLOSLER has taken off and engaged healthcare providers around the world.” – Psychiatrist Margaret Chisolm, a Miller Coulson Academy scholar and website planner
Most recently, the CLOSLER team has looked to social media to reach new audiences, cultivating a Twitter community composed of more than 1,700 health care providers from around the globe.
And over the summer, CLOSLER launched a YouTube channel, which now features short, three-minute video interviews with Miller Coulson scholars, who share their wisdom on a variety of topics. Psychiatrist Susan Lehmann, for example, tells how learning to play the piano has made her adept at listening to patients and maintaining eye contact while taking notes. And neurologist Raf Llinas shares thoughts about using humor as an effective teaching tool.
For insights about excellence in clinical care, visit closler.org.
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Share your thoughts and suggestions about the CLOSLER site: closler@jhmi.edu
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