This week, I had the pleasure of visiting Houston, Texas, to take part in Rice University’s Sawyer Seminar Research Symposium, which focused on the medical humanities, racial health equity, and data justice. It was a thought-provoking experience, and I left with a notebook filled with op-ed ideas I want to beg the presenters to write.

One part of the experience stuck out of me: A historian of medicine asked some other journalists and me a question: Why don’t more health news stories contain a humanities perspective, including history?

The answers, I’m afraid, are what you might expect: We’re short on time and space, and often we just don’t think of it — particularly when it comes to a quick-turnaround news article. Often, we think of medical humanities stories as being stand-alone, rather than integrating into, say, a quick-turnaround news article. When times are turbulent, I think most of us are tempted to take the short view.

But I have to say: I’m a sucker for a history of medicine piece. I ran one this past week, when Theodore M. Brown of the University of Rochester wrote an essay titled “The long history of the U.S. trying to control and dismantle the WHO.” Brown offers a clear lens through which to look at the current U.S.-WHO relationship.

Essays that put a modern story in a historical context are incredibly valuable to readers. So historians of medicine: Please send me your ideas. Even if you don’t think you can write it, send it along — I can always try to find another author. And I’m interested in other ways to integrate the humanities, too. I’m still looking for a great piece on “The Pitt.” (I confess I haven’t watched it yet—should I?)

Recommendation of the week: On the plane to Houston, I rewatched the 2018 comedic thriller “A Simple Favor,” starring Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively. It’s funny, it’s got a great mystery, I’m interested in the supposed tension between the two actors, Lively’s wardrobe is incredible — and I can’t wait for the sequel, which comes out May 1.