Jo Marie Reilly, MD, MPH, Keck School of Medicine of USC
This commentary reflects the professional life story of a respected editor, poet, and champion of medical humanities, Johanna Shapiro. A psychologist by training, Johanna’s work in medical humanities is well known and respected by health professionals in multiple venues. It is within family medicine that Johanna found her professional home. Her work has focused on the value of storytelling as a vehicle of healing, helping health professionals at all levels of training better understand their patients’ experiences of illness and healing. The understanding helps patients more deeply connect to their illness and wellness. This commentary offers a tribute to Johanna’s professional life and her contributions to family and narrative medicine.