Explaining what I do as a rheumatologist isn’t always easy.

After describing autoimmune diseases and inflammatory arthritis like rheumatoid arthritis, I’m often met with a puzzled look and then the comment: “So, you’re an arthritis doctor?”

For a while, I struggled with that description.

Calling me an “arthritis doctor” didn’t seem to capture the full scope of my work.

Yes, I treat arthritis, but, as a rheumatologist, I also diagnose rheumatic autoimmune diseases, manage complex systemic conditions, monitor biologic medications, and help patients navigate their chronic illness (and often times the insurance maze). Reducing all of that to “arthritis” felt… incomplete.

But a conversation several months ago gave me a different perspective.

I met a podiatrist who admitted he used to hate being called a “foot doctor.” Like me, he felt it didn’t reflect the depth of his training or the breadth of what he treated. But then he made a conscious shift: he stopped correcting people. Instead, he embraced the term. By simplifying how he introduced his work, he found patients connected more easily. He told me about a patient who proudly introduced him at the grocery store: “This is my foot doctor.” Soon, people came to him because he was known as the best “foot doctor” in town.

His point was simple and powerful: simple term creates connection.

I’m beginning to see that maybe “arthritis doctor” isn’t a reduction. It’s a bridge. Several of my own patients have said, “A friend told me to come see you. You’re their arthritis doctor.” On reflection, arthritis is a familiar word for joint pain, so it’s no surprise patients use it. If that label helps someone feel comfortable enough to walk through my door, that’s a good place to start. We can get into the details of autoimmunity and inflammatory arthritis later. But the first step is meeting people where they are.

So here’s to understanding and to finding pride, not frustration, in the simplicity that connects us.

What simple label has helped you connect more with others?