The 7 Virtues of Rheumatology We Should Cultivate

As we navigate the complexities of modern rheumatology on a day-to-day basis, it’s vital to remember that the virtues outlined here aren’t just lofty ideals—they are everyday practices that can elevate our care and improve our patient outcomes. Reexamining Dr. Asher’s seven sins reminds us that, at the heart of medicine, and particularly rheumatology, is a commitment to humanism.

Picture this: It’s the year 2099. We’re about to celebrate the arrival of a new century and bid a fond adieu to the ’90s yet again. There’s a preserved digital file of The Rheumatologist that the AI-infused microchip hardwired in your brain pulls up. Will the virtues that we’ve rheuminated about still be relevant in that world? It’s easy to say that only time will tell. It’s harder, but more accurate, to say that these virtues will only survive if we imbue these words with life and treat them with the utmost seriousness.

Fortunately, our field is defined by clinicians who are committed to upholding these virtues and to minimizing the sins that Dr. Richard Asher originally wrote about in 1949.

Bharat Kumar, MD, MME, FACP, FAAAAI, RhMSUS, is the director of the rheumatology fellowship training program at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, and the physician editor of The Rheumatologist. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @BharatKumarMD.

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