In this interview, Dr. Joshua John‑Ram Schacter urges a shift in how both patients and providers view health. He emphasizes that health is a symphony of interconnected systems, not just an isolated joint, and that longevity is tied to enjoyment, community, and presence. Schacter argues that true medicine requires heart‑to‑heart listening and being fully present with patients, which grants them agency and insight into their own needs. He also shares his personal philosophy of embodying joy, gratitude, and humanity in his practice, encouraging others to savor the journey of life rather than constantly chasing the next goal.
Chapters
I want people to think differently about their health. As a patient, I want you to think about your health, your longevity, your wellness, and how all of these systems, the symphony that is you, contributes to your overall wellness and can make a huge impact in your joint pain. Mm-hmm. I want the providers that I teach, I want, I want them to understand that there's more to it than just that joint in a box.
Agreed.
That listening and that being present with a patient and connecting with them heart to heart is, even though we were taught in medical school not to do that, to keep that from— that is the most important part of medicine because that gives patients agency. It gives them insight into what they need in their health. And then overall, when, when people meet me, I want them to think of me as a joyful and grateful person who's knowledgeable and compelling in what they talk about, but I really want them to understand, to see me as a human being who cares about what I'm doing.
When patients feel heard and seen, it transforms their outcome. When you think about your life beyond titles, accomplishment, and success, what does making a life that matters mean to you?
I, making a life that matters to me means enjoying the journey. We, it's so just from a scientific perspective, the long, you know, the people who live longest. are the people who enjoy the journey, who have connection with a community, connection within themselves. And so for me, being able to be present, being able to understand that challenges can be overcome and that, that, that these things that we see in the metabolism or in the joint are all things that we can work with. But more importantly, that we enjoy the journey that we're on. And I, we miss that so much because we're always looking for the next thing, the next goal, the next whatever. We, we need to be present and enjoy where we're— let's be excited about where we're going, but let's be really excited about where we are.
