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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

Water, water everywhere featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Water, water everywhere

Do glucosamine and chondroitin supplements actually work for arthritis? featured image

Staying Healthy

Do glucosamine and chondroitin supplements actually work for arthritis?

Just what is pneumonia, anyway? featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Just what is pneumonia, anyway?

Staying active at “that time of the month” featured image

Exercise & Fitness

Staying active at “that time of the month”

What exactly is cupping? featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

What exactly is cupping?

The truth behind standing desks featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

The truth behind standing desks

The most important health problems (and why they matter) featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

The most important health problems (and why they matter)

Knee replacement: Life changing or a disappointment? featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Knee replacement: Life changing or a disappointment?

Tossing flossing? featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Tossing flossing?

“Double dipping” your chip: Dangerous or just…icky? featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

“Double dipping” your chip: Dangerous or just…icky?

The U.S. longevity gap featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

The U.S. longevity gap

What Michelangelo’s hands (can and can’t) tell us about arthritis featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

What Michelangelo’s hands (can and can’t) tell us about arthritis

The times, they are a-changin’ (and bringing new syndromes) featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

The times, they are a-changin’ (and bringing new syndromes)

Taking advantage of incidental findings featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Taking advantage of incidental findings

Tai chi may be as good as physical therapy for arthritis-related knee pain featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Tai chi may be as good as physical therapy for arthritis-related knee pain

Here’s something unexpected: Sunbathers live longer featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Here’s something unexpected: Sunbathers live longer

The truth about tequila and your bones featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

The truth about tequila and your bones

Physical therapy after hip replacement: Can rehab happen at home? featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Physical therapy after hip replacement: Can rehab happen at home?

Taking your medications as prescribed: Smartphones can help featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Taking your medications as prescribed: Smartphones can help

Medical news: A case for skepticism featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Medical news: A case for skepticism

Running injury? Maybe you’re doing it all wrong featured image

Exercise & Fitness

Running injury? Maybe you’re doing it all wrong

How useful is the body mass index (BMI)? featured image

Staying Healthy

How useful is the body mass index (BMI)?

My fall last fall: Reaction time and getting older featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

My fall last fall: Reaction time and getting older

Vitamin D and physical function: Is more better? featured image

Exercise & Fitness

Vitamin D and physical function: Is more better?

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