"See One, Do One, Teach One…Fail One?" Intellectual Humility in Musculoskeletal Care and Education

SYNOPSIS: This viewpoint presents a turning point in clinical training and practice, where an attending physician faced difficulty performing an arthrocentesis in front of a trainee, highlighting challenges and vulnerabilities inherent in practice. The situation was resolved by enlisting the expertise of a colleague, who successfully completed the procedure. This experience prompted reflections on the concept of intellectual humility in health professional education-the ability to acknowledge limitations, seek help, and embrace collaborative learning and teaching. This article examines how intellectual humility can shape clinicians' responses to failure, particularly when role modeling for learners. It also raises critical questions about how educators and trainees navigate intellectual humility. By examining a moment of failure and related reflection, this article invites musculoskeletal rehabilitation clinicians to consider how intellectual humility can strengthen teaching, learning, and clinical practice. JOSPT Open 2026;4(2):128-132. Epub 19 February 2026. doi:10.2519/josptopen.2026.0206.