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

The truth about tequila and your bones featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

The truth about tequila and your bones

Taking your medications as prescribed: Smartphones can help featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Taking your medications as prescribed: Smartphones can help

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?

Why men often die earlier than women featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Why men often die earlier than women

Kidney stones are on the rise featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Kidney stones are on the rise

Don't judge your mucus by its color featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Don't judge your mucus by its color

What happens when you faint? featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

What happens when you faint?

The gender gap in sports injuries featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

The gender gap in sports injuries

Can the weather really worsen arthritis pain? featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Can the weather really worsen arthritis pain?

The placebo effect: Amazing and real featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

The placebo effect: Amazing and real

Is it hard to decide about total knee replacement? Totally! featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Is it hard to decide about total knee replacement? Totally!

First, do no harm featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

First, do no harm

Are There Benefits to a

Skin and Hair

Are There Benefits to a "Base" Tan?

Ditch the gluten, improve your health? featured image

Staying Healthy

Ditch the gluten, improve your health?

Neck pain: Symptoms, causes, & how to relieve it featured image

Pain

Neck pain: Symptoms, causes, & how to relieve it

Studies reinforce life-saving benefits of colon cancer screening featured image

Cancer

Studies reinforce life-saving benefits of colon cancer screening

Tattoos, moles, and melanoma featured image

Cancer

Tattoos, moles, and melanoma

Brain disease deaths high in pro football players featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Brain disease deaths high in pro football players

Cataract removal linked to fewer hip fractures featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Cataract removal linked to fewer hip fractures

Driving on Tax Day? Beware the dead-line featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Driving on Tax Day? Beware the dead-line

New study won’t end debate on PSA test for prostate cancer featured image

Men's Health

New study won’t end debate on PSA test for prostate cancer

Older women may need fewer bone tests featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Older women may need fewer bone tests

Harvard Health Publishing Logo

Thanks for visiting. Don't miss your FREE gift.

The Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness, is yours absolutely FREE when you sign up to receive Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School

Sign up to get tips for living a healthy lifestyle, with ways to fight inflammation and improve cognitive health, plus the latest advances in preventative medicine, diet and exercise, pain relief, blood pressure and cholesterol management, and more.

Harvard Health Publishing Logo

Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School

Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for weight loss...from exercises to build a stronger core to advice on treating cataracts. PLUS, the latest news on medical advances and breakthroughs from Harvard Medical School experts.

BONUS! Sign up now and
get a FREE copy of the
Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness

Harvard Health Publishing Logo

Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School.

Plus, get a FREE copy of the Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness.