Rana Awdish

Rana Awdish is a critical care physician, pulmonologist, author, and recognized voice in healthcare communication, empathy, and patient experience. Awdish serves as medical director of the Pulmonary Hypertension Program at Henry Ford Hospital and as medical director of Care Experience for the health system, where she integrates communication strategies and narrative medicine practices into clinical education. She also holds appointments as clinical professor of medicine at Wayne State University School of Medicine and Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.

Awdish’s advocacy for patient-centered care began after a personal medical crisis that involved life-threatening complications, including significant blood loss and multiple organ failures. This experience shaped her commitment to improving patient experience and supporting physician well-being. She developed the CLEAR Conversation program at Henry Ford Hospital, training medical professionals in communication skills to enhance patient care and reduce clinician burnout.

Her memoir, "In Shock: My Journey from Death to Recovery and the Redemptive Power of Hope," reached a broad audience and is considered a significant contribution to medical literature. The book is an LA Times Bestseller and has been featured in The Washington Post, NPR, The Today Show, and The Times Literary Supplement. It has been translated into several languages. The New York Times Book Review described it as "dramatic, engaging and instructive." Her second book, "After Shock," was published by Macmillan and explores the meaning of healing from a physician’s perspective.

Awdish’s essays and articles appear in The New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, Harvard Business Review, and The Washington Post. Her essay "The Shape of the Shore" received a Sydney Award from The New York Times and was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Her frontline experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic at Henry Ford Hospital were featured in the This American Life episode "The Reprieve."

Awdish has received national recognition for her contributions to medicine and patient advocacy, including the Schwartz Center's National Compassionate Caregiver of the Year Award, U.S. News & World Report's Healthcare Hero distinction, and Press Ganey's Physician of the Year Award. She is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, the Gold Humanism Honor Society, and is a Master of the American College of Physicians. Awdish is a frequent keynote speaker at medical conferences, professional societies, and organizations focused on healthcare quality, physician wellness, and patient advocacy. Her work has been featured on NPR, BBC, and CNN.