In Medical Training, Virtual Reality Can’t Replace Real Human Bodies
To learn how to peform clinical exams and procedures, med students practice on "standardized patients" and cadavers. It’s low-tech and it works.
Scopes
Explainers
4 Misconceptions About Lyme Disease
The tick-borne illness is on the rise across the country, and experts say most people who have Lyme don't even know it.
Explainers
The Biggest Healthcare Changes Under Trump
A primer on Trump-era policies related to insurance coverage, medical treatment options and health information.
Latest Stories
Rounds
1 Question, 5 Answers: When Do Doctors Say No to Patients?
Clinicians talk about denying requests for therapy animals and Snapchat-inspired cosmetic tweaks, and other times they've had to turn patients down.
Voices
After Two Decades, I Decided to Go Off Antidepressants
The months-long process of tapering off Lexapro didn't go quite as I expected.
Explainers
How to Avoid Freaking Out While You Wait for Medical News
Simple, research-backed tips to help you feel OK when test results are on the way.
Voices
My Precarious Love Affair With the Dentist
Since childhood, the dentist has been a place where I know I’ll be lavished with praise for my good work.
Scopes, Voices
Waiting Rooms Stress Me Out
The worst part of going to the doctor is waiting for your appointment to begin. Does it have to be that way?
Browse More Topics
Therapy
Talking it out
Rounds
1 Question, 5 Answers: How Should You Act When You See Your Therapist In Public?
Smile and nod? Just keep walking? 5 mental-health practitioners discuss etiquette for therapist run-ins.
Rounds
1 Question, 5 Answers: When Do Doctors Say No to Patients?
Clinicians talk about denying requests for therapy animals and Snapchat-inspired cosmetic tweaks, and other times they've had to turn patients down.
Scopes
How to Be a Patient After You’ve Been in a Cult
For former cult members, the process of adjusting to life without a guru includes reclaiming personal agency in healthcare.
About us
The Paper Gown, powered by Zocdoc, covers health and healthcare with a focus on patient experiences — inside and outside the exam room, before check-ups and after surgery, across all states of health. We strive to tell stories that help patients feel informed, empowered and understood. Learn more.