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

Can watching sports be bad for your health? featured image

Staying Healthy

Can watching sports be bad for your health?

Surgeons are doing fewer knee surgeries featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Surgeons are doing fewer knee surgeries

Spinal Cord Trauma featured image

a to z

Spinal Cord Trauma

Spina Bifida featured image

a to z

Spina Bifida

Coffee may help your skin stay healthy featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Coffee may help your skin stay healthy

Where people die featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Where people die

Is Coca-Cola really putting pot in its beverages? featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Is Coca-Cola really putting pot in its beverages?

Conflict of interest in medicine featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Conflict of interest in medicine

Drip bar: Should you get an IV on demand? featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Drip bar: Should you get an IV on demand?

Alcohol and your health: Is none better than a little? featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Alcohol and your health: Is none better than a little?

Health benefits of walnuts featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Health benefits of walnuts

Sorting out the health effects of alcohol featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Sorting out the health effects of alcohol

Top searches on health topics? It may depend on where you live featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Top searches on health topics? It may depend on where you live

Health benefits of coffee and a proposed warning label featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Health benefits of coffee and a proposed warning label

How long will my hip or knee replacement last? featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

How long will my hip or knee replacement last?

Autoimmune disease and stress: Is there a link? featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Autoimmune disease and stress: Is there a link?

Rethinking the screening mammogram featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Rethinking the screening mammogram

Dogs and health: A lower risk for heart disease-related death? featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Dogs and health: A lower risk for heart disease-related death?

Fertility and diet: Is there a connection? featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Fertility and diet: Is there a connection?

Could medications contribute to dementia? featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Could medications contribute to dementia?

Knuckle cracking: Annoying and harmful, or just annoying? featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Knuckle cracking: Annoying and harmful, or just annoying?

Chondroitin and melanoma: How worried should you be? featured image

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Chondroitin and melanoma: How worried should you be?

Aerobic exercise or tai chi for fibromyalgia — which is better? featured image

Exercise & Fitness

Aerobic exercise or tai chi for fibromyalgia — which is better?

Apple cider vinegar for weight loss: Does it really work? featured image

Staying Healthy

Apple cider vinegar for weight loss: Does it really work?

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