Bridging the doctor-patient divide
This is one in a series of profiles showcasing some of Harvard’s stellar graduates. Katherine Johnson has spent four years at Harvard Medical School (HMS), learning not only the skills, but also the language, of medicine. Now graduating as a physician, Johnson wants to translate that language into words that everyday people understand. During her time at HMS, Johnson developed a passion for community medicine. She also realized that there is often a large gap between physicians and patients, who frequently rely on friends and relatives instead of on their doctors for medical information. Among her activities while at HMS, Johnson designed a survey, conducted over the summer between her first and second years, that explored teenagers’ attitudes toward pregnancy. One thing she discovered is that teens sometimes misunderstand basic terms, such as “family planning,” which some teens thought meant a program for those interested in having a family, rather than those interested...