“Medicine is a rewarding career and I could not be nearly as good a doctor, or as open with my patients, if I did not have the arts in my life.”
- Steven Scheinman, MD, former President and Dean, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
Writing
Dr. Simoyan writes for a variety of publications in the medical and arts communities.
I enjoy combining my passions for music, writing and photography to inspire others.
Books
Transformation Recovery: Lessons from the Butterfly
Living Foolproof! Wisdom for Daily Living
The Amazing World of Butterflies
Scranton, a place to call home
Narrative Medicine
Telling Our Stories, Narrative Writing as a Healing Art, 2020
For Some Ills, There Is No Pill, September 2020
The Gift of Today, October 2020
Life Gives Us Choices (Sometimes), November 2020
Another Day on the Calendar, December 2020
Healers Need Healing Too, January 2021
Where Faith and Public Health Meet, February 2021
Accepting Things We Cannot Change, June 2021
Practice and Rewards, August 2021
Just a Matter of Education, September 2021
Listening in Music and Medicine, February 2022
Girls Become Doctors, May 2022
Op Eds
Kevin MD
Accelerate Your Career with Mentorship, February 2024
Bridging the gap between art and science for better health, October 2022
It’s time to rethink board certification, January 2022
Doximity
Finding My Way: My Non-Traditional Path to Addiction Medicine
Creating Optimal Healing Environments: The Impact of Light, Scent, View, and More
My Fulbright Specialist Experience and Its Ripple Effects, July 2023
Addressing Stigma in Addiction Medicine, April 2023
'Free to Be Me': A Physician’s Thoughts on Professional Identity Formation, March 2023
Why we should integrate music and the arts into medicine, November 2022
Other
Fulfillment found in cross-cultural exchange, The Times-Tribune, 2015
Other
Read all of my Medium articles
New Book
New Book
Giraffes are amazing!
Now Available on Amazon
This book provides a brief introduction to the amazing world of giraffes and is ideal for science enthusiasts and animal lovers alike. Readers will learn about various characteristics that make giraffes unique, as well as features these incredibly tall animals have in common with humans. They will also learn some anatomy and physiology, while enjoying the author’s stunning photographs that were taken at various locations in North America and South Africa.
Transformation and Recovery: Lessons from the Butterfly
A Workbook
This is a brief overview of the transtheoretical model of behavior change, described by Prochaska and colleagues. The stages of change are compared with an example from nature, the stages of the butterfly’s life cycle, accompanied by photographs taken by the author. Questions for reflection are included in each section, along with empty pages for note taking. Adaptable for use in group or individual settings, this will be a useful resource for people struggling with behavioral disorders and those in recovery.
Living Foolproof! Wisdom For Daily Living
Now Available on Amazon
This book is designed as a devotional and journal with daily readings and reflections for each day of the month. For each day, there is a selected reading from the corresponding chapter of the book of Proverbs, followed by a brief reflection and one or more questions for the reader. The questions are Living Foolproof!: Wisdom For Daily Living intended to encourage self-reflection.
The Amazing World of Butterflies
A Photobook
This brief introduction to the world of butterflies, now in its second edition, includes descriptions of various species and their distinctive characteristics, accompanied by stunning photographs. This edition features additional species and a section on defense mechanisms. This book will inspire you to learn more about butterflies and perhaps even start a butterfly garden of your own!
Scranton, A Place to Call Home: The Electric City at a Glance
Now Available on Amazon
The first edition of Scranton, a Place to Call Home was published to commemorate Scranton’s 150th anniversary in 2016. This edition contains relevant updates and new photographs reflecting developments since then. With just the right amount of historical and current information to accompany the photographs, this book provides an overview of Scranton and the surrounding area, highlighting tourist attractions, educational institutions, healthcare organizations and much more. It will make a perfect gift for friends and family, not to mention being a great addition to your coffee table collection!