Schwartz Rounds®

Schwartz Rounds are an interdisciplinary conversation about complex dilemmas that are faced by health professionals as they balance compassionate care with the strenuous demands of their daily work. Schwartz Rounds examine the emotional cost of caregiving with the goal of promoting compassion in healthcare.

More than 500 organizations around the world offer Schwartz Rounds, giving workers in healthcare a structured forum to openly and honestly discuss social and emotional experiences. In contrast to medical rounds, the focus is on the human dimension of medicine. People across all roles and professions have an opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings about thought-provoking topics.

For each Schwartz Rounds, three people share a story on the topic for the day. Then a facilitator leads a discussion with the audience, inviting others to share their personal stories. The rounds are not a time to critique or examine the medical care, but simply a time to share our humanity.

Topics and Resources

            Find handouts that list many resources for previous Schwartz Rounds topics

Schwartz Rounds relies on story tellers—people who are willing to share a five-minute story on the topic for the day. Stories should be specific about a particular patient and about your own experience.  If you are willing to share, please sign up here.