VUMC Magazine Winter 2005



While many of his fellow medical students were focused primarily on understanding the pathophysiology of disease, Gerald B. Hickson had a growing interest in a rather unusual area of research -- how patients and physicians . Even as a young medical student, he realized that successful communication was crucial to successful medical care.

WRITTEN BY LISA PEPER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DEAN DIXON

I was struck by how certain of my professors could link effectively with families, and how others didn't do so well," said Hickson, associate dean for Clinical Affairs. "For my own career, I wanted to figure out how to best connect with families in a way that ensured the appropriate flow of information -- ultimately to be able to offer the best care that I could."

Hickson's interest led him to Vanderbilt, and eventually to his current role as director of the Vanderbilt Center for Patient and Professional Advocacy. continued..


	Quiet phones mean happy patients