CFMS Podcasts
By Canadian Federation of Medical Students
CC= CFMS Connection Podcast
RIM= Research in Medicine
Welcome to the Canadian Federation of Medical Students Podcast Series. We connect, support and represent our membership as they learn to serve patients and society. Our CFMS Podcast series is a collection of three separate series - Research in Medicine, Life as a Doctor To Be and the CFMS Connection podcast series.
CFMS PodcastsMar 08, 2024
Who (Health) Cares #1 - Dr. Anderson, Dean of Dal Medicine
Hey, it's our first (real) episode, where host Rachel sits down and has a conversation with the Dean of Dalhousie University's Faculty of Medicine, Dr. David Anderson.
They chat about life as Dean, the Maritimes, family, Dr. Anderson's days as a tennis phenom, and more. Guess you'll have to listen to find out more.
In Who (Health) Cares, we will be getting to know physicians across Canada and across specialties. We will talk a bit of medicine, and a lot about who they are. Stay tuned for more guests to come, and stay connected on social media, @cfmspodcast on Instagram.
Credits:
Host: Rachel Tooth
Producers: Rachel Tooth, Erin Lin, Kieran Chalmers
Editor: Kieran Chalmers
Social Media and Cover Art: Adela Gottardi
Music: Slade Lake, Alex Baldassare
RIM #12: Respirology Resilience: Achieving Perseverance and Balance with Dr. Shawn Aaron
In this episode, Megan Lowe of CFMS Research in Medicine interviews Dr. Shawn Aaron, a distinguished respirologist and senior Scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, University of Ottawa. Dr. Aaron shares insights from his journey as a clinician-scientist, offering valuable guidance on navigating the balance between research and clinical practice. He emphasizes the importance of mentorship and imparts key life lessons, highlighting perseverance and persistence as essential qualities for success in research endeavors.
Who (Health) Cares #0 - The Meet and Greet Visit
Hey! Welcome to our new series, Who (Health) Cares. This is our Meet and Greet episode, where we meet our 3 new hosts, Kieran, Erin and Rachel. We talk a bit about ourselves, a bit about why we are doing this and a bit about what you can expect throughout the series.
In Who (Health) Cares, we will be getting to know physicians from across Canada and across specialties. We won't only be talking about medicine, but also about who they are. Stay tuned for more episodes to come, and follow us on social media, @cfmspodcast on Instagram.
Credits:
Hosts: Erin Lin, Rachel Tooth, Kieran Chalmers
Editor: Kieran Chalmers
Social Media and Cover Art: Adela Gottardi
Music: Slade Lake, Alex Baldassare
RIM #11: Exploring Mental Health Research with Dr. Georg Northoff
This month, Zier Zhou of the CFMS Research in Medicine Podcast speaks with Dr. Georg Northoff, a psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and philosopher at the University of Ottawa. In this episode, Dr. Northoff discusses his interdisciplinary approach to research and recent projects that aim to enhance the management of depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. Dr. Northoff also shares his thoughts on what life lessons can be learned from a career in psychiatry and how the ongoing technological revolution might impact the human brain and mind. To learn more about Dr. Northoff’s work, check out his website www.georgnorthoff.com/ and new book Neurowaves.
RIM #10: Path to Hematopathology with Dr. Michael Rauh
This month, Farhad Ghaseminejad and Maggie Chopra of the CFMS Research in Medicine Podcast interviews Dr. Michael Rauh, an associate professor at Queen’s University in the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine. Dr. Rauh completed an MD/PhD degree from UBC and his residency in hematological pathology at UofT. His research focuses on myeloid pathologies, specifically the genetic and immune pathogenesis of myeloid cancers. In this episode, we discuss what motivated Dr. Rauh to pursue hematopathology, the life of a clinician-scientist, advice for students wanting to pursue research in medical school, and more.
RIM #9: Experiences in Medical Education with Dr. Victoria Luong
In this episode, Margaret Sun of the CFMS Research in Medicine Podcast interviews Dr. Victoria Luong to discuss her transition from clinical medicine to medical education research. Currently, Dr. Luong is a PhD student at Dalhousie University after attaining her MD from the Université de Sherbrooke in 2015. Her interest in qualitative research sparked a shift from pursuing a residency to undertaking a Master’s in Health Profession Education, steering her towards a career in medical education research. Notably, her graduate work concentrates on exploring the role of personality in medical education and understanding the experiences of medical trainees encountering struggle and underperformance.
RIM#8: Understanding Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain with Dr. Paul Young.
This month the CFMS Research in Medicine Podcast interviews Dr. Paul Young. Dr. Paul Young is a gynecologist and research director at the BC Women's Center for Pelvic Pain and Endometriosis. Dr. Young completed a combined MD PhD degree and a residency in obstetrics and gynecology, followed by a clinical fellowship in endometriosis, pelvic pain and advanced laparoscopy in 2012 at the University of British Columbia. In this episode, let's discover the topic of Endometriosis and Pelvic Pains with us!
Special Edition: Collaboration of Practitioners & Researchers
This month the CFMS Research in Medicine Podcast series presents a special edition entitled, Collaboration of Practitioners & Researchers. In this episode, a medical student and biomedical graduate student showcase how clinical practice and medical research are different sides of the same coin. During this seminar you will hear Kevin Zhao of McMaster and Christie Costello of MUN discuss the topic of arthritis.
RIM#7: Ophthalmology, Grants, PhDs & Wellness
This month the CFMS Research in Medicine Podcast interviews Dr. Agnes Wong. Dr. Wong is a Professor of Ophthalmology, Neurology, and Psychology at the University of Toronto, and an active staff ophthalmologist at the Hospital for Sick Children. In this episode, she reveals her secrets to successful grant writing; her opinion regarding the optimal timing of when to pursue a PhD; advice for medical students on career exploration & wellness; and more!
RIM#6: Cognitive Neurology with Dr. Finger
This month the CFMS Research in Medicine Podcast interviews Dr. Elizabeth Finger. Dr. Finger is a Professor of Neurology at Western University. In this episode we talk about her research on empathy in frontotemporal dementia and her pathway to becoming a clinician-scientist.
LDTB #12: Reflections
In episode 12 of the LDTB series, the 7 co-hosts reflect on the experiences they’ve had, lessons they’ve learned and memories they’ve made over the past year.
RIM #5: Pathway to Medicine with Dr. Wing
This month the CFMS Research in Medicine Podcast interviews Dr. Ana Wing. Dr. Wing is a Professor of Neurology at Queen’s University. In this episode we talk about her journey across the globe from medical school to becoming a new faculty member in 2020.
LDTB #11: Professionalism
In episode 11 of the LDTB series, Karine and Lucas discuss their definitions of professionalism. They explore the ways that notions of professionalism play out in clinical settings and on social media. Lastly, the co-hosts delve into how cultural differences and the hospital hierarchy can make professionalism challenging to navigate.
CC#9: Reference Letters: what you should know now
Reference letters (aka letters of reference) are another component to the CaRMS R1 Application. This component is of particular interest because it's not something you can start a week before the application is due...or even when the application opens. The foundation for good letters of reference come throughout your clerkship rotation, so tune into this episode to hear what should start thinking about now. In this episode, we interview Dr. Melanie Lewis, associate Dean of Learner Advocacy & Wellness at the University of Alberta. She chats about the best way to ask for letters, who you should ask/from what specialties, how to gently remind physicians who haven't submitted your letter when the deadline approaches, and much more.
RIM #4: Lifelong Learning with Dr. Rahman
This month the CFMS Research in Medicine Podcast series interviews Dr. Proton Rahman. Dr. Rahman is a distinguished physician and researcher in the discipline of Rheumatology at Memorial University’s Faculty of Medicine. His many accomplishments include over 300 published research articles and being recognized in Canada’s top 40 under 40.
In this episode, we explore his path to research and how he got into the field of genomics during its infancy. Dr. Rahman explains why he conducted a research fellowship and how he has continued to educate himself throughout his career. Finally, he offers advice to budding medical researchers and his opinion on emerging fields of research.
LDTB #10: Gender Bias in Medicine
In episode 10 of the LDTB series, Audrey and Brittany discuss the experiences they’ve had as women going through medical school. They explore how gender roles affect them, both within formal learning settings and clinical settings. They then discuss how these gender roles can affect notions of professionalism and specialty choice.
CC#8: Dr. Brian Goldman on Pursuing Passions Beyond Medicine
How can you find success in your interests outside of medicine? Hear from Dr. Brian Goldman, host of the popular CBC radio show White Coat Black Art, about his story and advice on pursuing your passions alongside a career in medicine.
Dr. Goldman has had a long and successful career in various forms of media. In addition to hosting White Coat Black Art for the past 15 years, he also hosts a new CBC podcast called The Dose and has written 3 books, with another in the works. He has also been a medical reporter for Television and print (newspapers, medical journals and the like) and is a public speaker- including a TedTalk that he gave about medical errors that has over a million views.
In this episode, hear his journey and what made him so successful across multiple platforms for so long. He gives advice about pursuing other interests alongside a career in medicine, whatever those interests may be- music, sports, politics, art...you name it. We chat about how to adapt your work to the needs of your audience and the people you work for, rolling with the punches and taking criticism, embracing your mistakes and learning from them, and so much more.
Dr. Goldman's Twitter: @NightShiftMD
White Coat Black Art on Twitter @cbcwhitecoat
LDTB #9: Competition
In episode 9 of the LDTB series, Peter and Kassandra discuss the competitive nature of medical school. They discuss the competition that they encountered when applying to medicine and how this evolved once they were accepted. The co-hosts then address the topic of residency matching and explore how competition can persist throughout a medical career.
RIM #3: Pediatric Research with Dr. Newhook
This month the CFMS Research in Medicine Podcast series interviews Dr. Leigh Ann Newhook. Dr. Newhook is a Pediatrician at the Janeway Children’s Hospital and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University. In this episode we talk about her broad approach to research in pediatrics and giving back as a member of team Broken Earth in Haiti. Dr. Newhook also gives insight into how you can apply research to real problems you encounter in the clinic.
RIM= Research in Medicine series
LDTB #8: Family
In episode 8 of the LDTB series, Lucas, Brittany and Karine each explore their unique familial backgrounds. They describe the support that they’ve received from their families and address how medical training has influenced these relationships.
CC#7: Medical "Pimping" aka Knowledge Exploration & Growth
Medical "Pimping": it's so much more than simply getting a question right or wrong. A student's reaction and response in "pimping" scenarios speaks volumes. So tune into this interview with Dr. Stephanie Smith to learn more about the practice of "medical pimping" to prepare yourself and learn how to become a better student and leave the best impression possible on your preceptors and peers.
Please note: we refer to this practice as "pimping" as it is a commonly used term in medicine. However, the CFMS does not endorse perpetuation of the word. Instead, we would like to flip the narrative and refer to this practice as "medical knowledge exploration and growth".
CC= CFMS Connection Podcast
LDTB #7: Relationships Outside of Medicine
In episode 7 of the LDTB series, Karine, Peter and Audrey discuss the benefits of maintaining relationships outside of medicine. They consider the ways that medicine has affected these relationships and how it has made them at times, extremely challenging. The three hosts then compare these to the relationships that they typically have with their medical colleagues. Finally, to conclude the episode, they reflect on how maintaining relationships outside of medicine will help them become better future physicians.
LDTB #6: Long Distance Relationships
In this episode of LDTB, Dakoda, Kassandra, and Peter have a candid discussion about the reality of long-distance relationships as a medical student. They share how they’ve stayed in touch with their partners, some of the challenges they’ve faced, and tips for keeping the relationship thriving from afar! Also addressed is planning for an uncertain future with CaRMS matching.
CC#6: Social Media in Medicine with Dr. Teresa Chan
In this episode, we interview Canadian medicine social media guru and Emergency Physician, Dr. Teresa Chan. We chat about how to use social media for patient advocacy, to connect for professional development, to build a brand/identity as a medical professional, to share research and educate the public, and to help you connect with CaRMS programs across the country.
Links:
Dr. Chan’s Twitter: @TChanMD & website: https://www.tchanmd.com/about-me
MacEmerg Podcast: https://sites.google.com/medportal.ca/macemerg-cpd/podcast
CC= CFMS Connection Podcast
RIM#2: Teamwork and Orthopaedics Research with Dr. Woodmass
The CFMS Research in Medicine Podcast Series interviews Dr. Woodmass from @UM_RadyFHS this month! We talk with him about “outcomes research” in orthopaedic surgery and the importance of teamwork in research. Are you hesitant about doing research? He can tell you why it’s worth a try.
LDTB #5: Marriage and Family Planning Part 2
In this second part of their discussion on marriage and family planning, Kassandra, Lucas and Dakoda invite their partners to share their perspectives on how their relationships have been affected by medical school. Their partners discuss the challenges that they face as the spouses of medical students and the strategies that they’ve used to overcome these obstacles together.
LDTB #4: Marriage and Family Planning Part 1
In this episode of LDTB, Kassandra, Lucas and Dakoda have a casual and very personal conversation about what it’s like to be married during medical school. The three of them discuss the ways in which their partners help to keep them well and how medical school presents unique challenges in their relationships. Lastly, they address the topic of family planning during medical school and the way this influences their career choices.
CC#5: Personal Letters with Dr. Lorne Weisenfeld
The personal letter is one of several requirements in your CaRMs application for residency. The CaRMs website describes personal letters as “how you introduce yourself to programs and to express interest in a specific program and/or discipline”. Evidently, they’re an important piece to the residency matching puzzle. But what really is a personal letter? What’s required in the letter? How do you go about writing one? The answer to those questions and more, right here in this podcast episode from Dr. Lorne Weisenfeld, a former program director for over 10 years for Emergency Medicine at Ottawa. He gives great advice about writing personal letters and insight from a program director point of view.
Dr. Paul Bergl’s funny robot personal letter tweet: https://twitter.com/paulberglmd/status/1070362210776612864?lang=en
Acronyms:
CC= CFMS Connection Podcast
AFMC- The Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC)
ARMC- The AFMC Resident Matching Committee
CaRMS- Canadian Resident Matching Service
CMG- Canadian Medical Graduate
IMG- International Medical Graduate
LDTB #3: The Struggle of Dating
On this first episode of the LDTB’s “relationships in medicine” mini series, Audrey and Brittany talk about their experiences with dating during medical school (including their lack thereof)! Starting new relationships or keeping old ones is sometimes a real challenge for medical students and it is challenging to make time for it when school takes up so much of our time and energy. Tune in to hear what they have to say in this casual discussion on dating while in medicine! As always, if you ever have any feedback or suggestions, please reach out to us at ldtbpodcastcommittee@gmail.com.
CC#4: CANPREPP with Dr. Moineau
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented new challenges for applicants to medical residency programs, but the AFMC has created a brand-new tool, called CANPREPP to help mitigate these challenges. In this episode, interviewee Dr. Geneviève Moineau discusses this tool, why it was created, and how residency applicants can use it be successful.
In short, CANPREPP is a virtual centralized program promotion platform designed to be a “one-stop-shop” where residency applicants can access information on any Canadian residency program. The system allows programs to create a brief, multi-media profile which applicants can view and subsequently use to decide if they wish to pursue further information via links to websites. It also includes the national web calendar of events, where learners can access more information on virtual events being hosted by various programs across the country.
For more information on CANPREPP visit CANPREPP.ca or email CANPREPP@afmc.ca.
For more information on the ways AFMC supports learners, visit https://afmc.ca/en/learners.
CC= CFMS Connection Podcast
Research in Medicine #1: Family Medicine with Dr. Singer
In this Research in Medicine Podcast Series episode, we hear from family doctor Dr. Alex Singer. He gives advice on mentorship, collaboration, and deciding whether research is right for you. We also discuss research on electronic medical records, resource stewardship, and COVID-19.
LDTB #2: The True Meaning of “Wellness”
On LDTB’s second episode, co-hosts Brittany, Lucas, and Kassandra talk about what wellness means to them and explore the environment of wellness in medical school. “Wellness” is certainly a buzzword that gets used frequently in medical school culture, but what does it really mean? How do medical students truly feel about their own wellness needs while navigating the challenging road of medicine? Tune in and find out more! Reach out to us at ldtbpodcastcommittee@gmail.com!
LDTB #1: Expectations vs. Reality
Welcome to the first episode of Life as a Doctor to Be (LDTB), a CFMS Podcasts’ series! Tune in to listen to the co-hosts, Audrey, Dakoda, Karine, and Peter discuss their expectations before entering medical school and compare them to the realities that they face today. They share their different paths into medicine, reflect on medical culture and norms, and explore their relationships with families and non-medical friends. Reach out to us at ldtbpodcastcommittee@gmail.com!
Life as a Doctor to Be Series: Introduction Episode
In this introductory episode of the Life as a Doctor to Be series (LDTB), the hosts will introduce themselves, the podcast’s subject matter, and its ultimate goal. We would love to hear your topic requests, questions or feedback, and you can reach us at ldtbpodcastcommittee@gmail.com!
CC#3: CARMS in Covid Times
CFMS Past President (2019/2020) Victor Do outlines the changes to the CaRMS process, what it means for students, and tips on being successful in this new format.
Links:
AFMC National Web Calendar of Events
AFMC Canadian Residency Virtual Promotion Guide
CC= CFMS Connection Podcast
CFMS Connection #2: Navigating the CaRMS Match (Part 2)
In Part 2, Rishi discusses more tricks on streamlining the application process, what programs look for in an applicant, and we dive deeper into how to navigate choosing a specialty.
Resources:
National Web Calendar of Events: https://afmc.ca/en/learners/r1-match
Program Descriptions- First Iteration: https://www.carms.ca/match/r-1-main-residency-match/program-descriptions/
CFMS Matchbook: https://www.cfms.org/what-we-do/education/cfms-matchbook
CFMS Connection #1: Navigating the CaRMS Match
In Part 1 of this interview with Rishi Sharma, former CFMS Director of Education, Rishi will unravel the mystery that is The R1 Match and share with us some of his wisdom that helped him attain his preferred specialty. He talks about some lesser known application requirements and he dives into the little components that can make a big difference when applying to CaRMs.
Resources:
CFMS Matchbook: https://www.cfms.org/what-we-do/education/cfms-matchbook
Video- How it works: the Match Algorithm: https://www.carms.ca/the-match/how-it-works/
RBC Canadian Medical Residency Guide: https://sac.schulichmeds.com/?wpdmact=process&did=MzguaG90bGluaw
Documentary- The Match: https://www.coreystantoncontent.com/the-match
Elective Diversification Policy: http://www.afmc.ca/en/priorities/elective-diversification
Introducing the CFMS Podcasts
The CFMS, the Canadian Federation of Medical Students, is the national voice of Canadian Medical Students. This is our brand new podcast. It is a collection of three separate series - Research in Medicine, Life as a Doctor to be and the CFMS Connection podcast series.