Thomas Kuriakose, MD

Emotional intelligence (EI), often defined as the ability to recognize, manage, and influence emotions—both your own and others’—has emerged as a pivotal component of effective teaching. In today’s dynamic classrooms, where students bring a wide range of emotional needs and experiences, emotional intelligence helps educators create a supportive and responsive learning environment. While technical knowledge remains vital, it’s emotional intelligence that allows teachers truly connect with their students and foster long-lasting success. Moreover, teaching is no longer just about delivering content—it’s about understanding students as whole individuals. With increasing emphasis on social-emotional learning (SEL) in education policies and curricula, emotionally intelligent teachers naturally align with these goals. They manage classroom challenges more effectively, reduce conflict, and promote psychological safety, all while improving academic outcomes. In other words, emotional intellige...

When conversations about healthcare equality arise, the spotlight often falls on access. Policymakers, healthcare systems , and nonprofits rightly focus on making care available, especially in underserved areas. But availability alone doesn’t ensure people thrive. For true transformation, we must move beyond health access and instead elevate community voices, capacities, and choices. Equity is not just about offering services—it’s about empowering people to shape those services around their real needs. In recent years, data have increasingly shown that social determinants of health—like income, education, housing, and environment—contribute more to wellness than clinical interventions alone. While improving access is a critical starting point, communities also need the power, knowledge, and tools to influence their own health outcomes. That’s where community empowerment becomes the bridge from access to equity. The Limits of Access Alone Access to health services is essential, but with...

Equity has become one of the most critical challenges and responsibilities in modern healthcare leadership . As patient populations grow more diverse and health disparities remain persistent, leaders can no longer rely on traditional models that overlook systemic barriers. Equity must be embedded into leadership strategy, not treated as an optional initiative or a side project. Inclusive healthcare leadership requires intentional action, measurable goals, and long-term commitment. Leaders are uniquely positioned to influence policies, cultures, and outcomes that determine whether healthcare systems truly serve everyone. By adopting an equity-centered framework, healthcare organizations can improve trust, quality of care, and organizational resilience. Defining Equity in Healthcare Leadership Equity in healthcare leadership means recognizing that different populations face different challenges in accessing and benefiting from care. Unlike equality, which assumes uniform needs, equity fo...