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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

Why it’s so hard to lose excess weight and keep it off: The Biggest Losers’ experience featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Why it’s so hard to lose excess weight and keep it off: The Biggest Losers’ experience

Knowing when to screen… and when to quit featured image

Cancer

Knowing when to screen… and when to quit

Dr. Google: The top 10 health searches in 2017 featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Dr. Google: The top 10 health searches in 2017

Stem-cell transplant: A possible high-risk/high-reward treatment for scleroderma featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Stem-cell transplant: A possible high-risk/high-reward treatment for scleroderma

Vaccinations: More than just kid stuff featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Vaccinations: More than just kid stuff

10 things you can do for your pet when it’s cold outside featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

10 things you can do for your pet when it’s cold outside

The flu is here — and so is a new advisory from the CDC featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

The flu is here — and so is a new advisory from the CDC

Is

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Is "man flu" really a thing?

Are you getting the most out of your high-deductible health plan? featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Are you getting the most out of your high-deductible health plan?

Can shoveling snow put your heart at risk? featured image

Heart Health

Can shoveling snow put your heart at risk?

Can an online game really improve blood sugar control for people with diabetes? featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Can an online game really improve blood sugar control for people with diabetes?

Researchers may have discovered a cause of multiple sclerosis featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Researchers may have discovered a cause of multiple sclerosis

Activity trackers: Can they really help you get fit? featured image

Exercise & Fitness

Activity trackers: Can they really help you get fit?

Genetic testing to predict medication side effects featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Genetic testing to predict medication side effects

Good news about the HPV vaccine featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Good news about the HPV vaccine

The mysterious rise in knee osteoarthritis featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

The mysterious rise in knee osteoarthritis

The latest scoop on the health benefits of coffee featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

The latest scoop on the health benefits of coffee

Why does hair turn gray? featured image

Staying Healthy

Why does hair turn gray?

What’s up with hiccups? featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

What’s up with hiccups?

For people with MS, can exercise change the brain? featured image

Exercise & Fitness

For people with MS, can exercise change the brain?

Fish consumption and rheumatoid arthritis: Natural remedy or just another fish tale? featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Fish consumption and rheumatoid arthritis: Natural remedy or just another fish tale?

Right brain/left brain, right? featured image

Mind & Mood

Right brain/left brain, right?

Your brain on chocolate featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Your brain on chocolate

Is it safe to take ibuprofen for the aches and pains of exercise? featured image

Exercise & Fitness

Is it safe to take ibuprofen for the aches and pains of exercise?

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