Trauma Informed Care in Medical Education

Jennifer Potter, MD

Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Jennifer Potter (she/her) is a national leader in trauma-informed care (TIC) for women and sexual and gender minority (SGM) communities and trauma-informed medical education. 

 In addition to publishing >100 peer-reviewed articles and mentoring >75 trainees, Dr. Potter has spearheaded the development of inaugural undergraduate medical education competencies in TIC and SGM health and co-edited three seminal textbooks.  

 At Harvard, Dr. Potter serves as Advisory Dean and Director of the William B. Castle Society; Associate Director of two CME courses focused on primary care internal medicine and SGM health education; and Faculty Co-Director of two longitudinal curricular themes focused on TIC and SGM Health Equity. 

 Outside Harvard, she serves as Associate Editor for MedEdPORTAL and provides consultation to medical schools and healthcare organizations engaged in diverse health equity projects. Dr. Potter’s honors include the Harold Amos Faculty Diversity Award, Dr. Susan M. Love Award, Massachusetts Medical Society LGBTQ Health Award, and Association of American Medical Colleges Group on Women in Medicine and Science Individual Leadership Award. 

In this episode, Dr. Jennifer Potter explores the importance of trauma-informed approaches in medical education. Building on her Grand Rounds presentation, Dr. Potter shares practical strategies for recognizing and responding to trauma in learners, creating supportive learning environments, and promoting resilience and well-being. She introduces key frameworks like the “Four R’s” and six guiding principles of trauma-informed care, and highlights how these approaches benefit all learners—not just those with known trauma histories. Tune in for thoughtful insights on shaping a more compassionate, inclusive, and effective educational experience.

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