Sometimes a complex health concept is best explained through an analogy — an easily understood comparison of two different ideas. A medical analogy can be an effective communicative tool for any physician. For example, saying “the heart is like a pump” basically helps anyone to understand how the heart works. Dr. Evonne Kaplan-Liss, physician and journalist at Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brooke School of Journalism, says analogies can also help physicians connect with patients. Learn more about what makes for a good medical analogy.