photo of Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing

Dr. Robert H. Shmerling is the former clinical chief of the division of rheumatology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), and is a current member of the corresponding faculty in medicine at Harvard Medical School. As a practicing rheumatologist for over 30 years, Dr. Shmerling engaged in a mix of patient care, teaching, and research. His research interests center on diagnostic studies in patients with musculoskeletal symptoms, and rheumatic and autoimmune diseases. He has published research regarding infectious arthritis, medical ethics, and diagnostic test performance in rheumatic disease. Having retired from patient care in 2019, Dr. Shmerling now works as a senior faculty editor for Harvard Health Publishing.

Twitter: @RobShmerling

Posts by Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Is snuff really safer than smoking? featured image

Staying Healthy

Is snuff really safer than smoking?

Drug recalls are common featured image

Staying Healthy

Drug recalls are common

Can electrical brain stimulation boost attention, memory, and more? featured image

Mind & Mood

Can electrical brain stimulation boost attention, memory, and more?

What happens when a drug goes viral? featured image

Diseases & Conditions

What happens when a drug goes viral?

Does inflammation contribute to infertility? featured image

Women's Health

Does inflammation contribute to infertility?

Rating the drugs in drug ads featured image

Staying Healthy

Rating the drugs in drug ads

Screening tests may save lives — so when is it time to stop? featured image

Staying Healthy

Screening tests may save lives — so when is it time to stop?

Motorcycle rallies and organ donation: A curious connection featured image

Staying Healthy

Motorcycle rallies and organ donation: A curious connection

Aspirin and bone health: Is there a connection? featured image

Staying Healthy

Aspirin and bone health: Is there a connection?

Genes protective during the Black Death may now be increasing autoimmune disorders featured image

Diseases & Conditions

Genes protective during the Black Death may now be increasing autoimmune disorders

When replenishing fluids, does milk beat water? featured image

Nutrition

When replenishing fluids, does milk beat water?

Can a multivitamin keep your brain healthy? featured image

Mind & Mood

Can a multivitamin keep your brain healthy?

Is the COVID-19 pandemic over, or not? featured image

Staying Healthy

Is the COVID-19 pandemic over, or not?

Why life expectancy in the US is falling featured image

Diseases & Conditions

Why life expectancy in the US is falling

Treatments for rheumatoid arthritis may lower dementia risk featured image

Diseases & Conditions

Treatments for rheumatoid arthritis may lower dementia risk

Harvard Health Ad Watch: A new injection treatment for eczema featured image

Diseases & Conditions

Harvard Health Ad Watch: A new injection treatment for eczema

The case of the bad placebo featured image

Heart Health

The case of the bad placebo

How good is your cardiometabolic health — and what is that, anyway? featured image

Heart Health

How good is your cardiometabolic health — and what is that, anyway?

Hand pain from arthritis? This may help featured image

Diseases & Conditions

Hand pain from arthritis? This may help

Have lupus? What to know about birth control featured image

Women's Health

Have lupus? What to know about birth control

Tracking viruses: The best clues may be in the sewer featured image

Diseases & Conditions

Tracking viruses: The best clues may be in the sewer

Could eating fish increase your risk of cancer? featured image

Cancer

Could eating fish increase your risk of cancer?

Can a vegan diet treat rheumatoid arthritis? featured image

Diseases & Conditions

Can a vegan diet treat rheumatoid arthritis?

Thunderstorm asthma: Bad weather, allergies, and asthma attacks featured image

Diseases & Conditions

Thunderstorm asthma: Bad weather, allergies, and asthma attacks

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