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Biography

Photo of Heather Kagan
Teaching Faculty

Heather Kagan, MD

Assistant Professor of Medicine
Hospital Medicine
Core Faculty, Edward D. Viner Center for Humanism

Education and Training

Medical School: Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
Residency: Internal Medicine - Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD

Board Certifications

  • American Board of Internal Medicine (Internal Medicine - General)

Awards and Honors 

Excellence in Inpatient Care Award – Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 2022; MVP Award – Annual ABC News award for outstanding journalism. Awarded to the Medical Unit for reporting during coronavirus pandemic, 2020; Barker Kern Award, Honorable Mention - Johns Hopkins Hospital Division of General Internal Medicine, 2020; Jerry Zaslow Memorial Award - Temple Medical School, 2020; Thomas M. Durant Prize in Internal Medicine - Temple Medical School award for who best exemplifies the ideal physician, 2018; Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society; Gold Humanism Honor Society

About Me 

I am an internal medicine physician (an "internist") who takes care of patients who are hospitalized. This is also known as a "hospitalist." I work at both Cooper University Hospital in Camden, NJ, and Inspira Health in Vineland, NJ. I pride myself in taking a comprehensive and holistic approach to diagnose and treat the underlying cause of my patients' symptoms. I serve as the "quarterback" of a patient's hospital team and closely collaborate with specialists and surgeons in caring for my patients. I care deeply about my patients and providing excellent care. I strive every day to provide care that I would want provided to myself or a family member. I also teach and supervise student physicians and resident physicians in training. 

Outside of my inpatient work, I am interested in the intersection of the arts/humanities and medicine and their ability to transform and improve health care. In addition to being a physician, I am a writer, medical journalist, and artist. I have special training in using visual art and art museum-based activities to facilitate meaningful discussions and reflection, build community, promote wellness and self-care, develop health care learners' professional identities, and enhance interprofessional collaboration, patient experience, and patient care. I have directed multiple courses for medical learners that incorporate the arts and believe in its untapped power to alleviate burnout, strengthen communication, and deepen the patient-physician connection.