The Physician Wellness Podcast
By Well Doc Alberta
We hope you enjoy!
The Physician Wellness PodcastJun 03, 2020
Being Human: Thoughts on Humanity in Medicine
In this episode of the Well Doc Alberta Physician Wellness Podcast, Garielle Brown (Evaluation & Measures Specialist and Physician Wellness Podcast Coordinator with Well Doc Alberta) hosts a discussion with Dr. Jane Lemaire about humanity in medicine. The podcast is based on comments originally presented by Dr. Lemaire during the keynote session of the 2020 International Conference on Physician Health (ICPH), a joint conference between the British Medical Association, the American Medical Association, and the Canadian Medical Association, held in London, England on Monday, April 26, 2021. Dr. Lemaire explores what humanity means and how it relates to the practice of medicine, and why ensuring the integration of humanity into medicine is important for patients, physicians, and the healthcare system. She also shares her vision for a medical profession that embraces being human.
Learning Objectives
After hearing this podcast, listeners will be able to:
1) Define humanity
2) Describe how humanity relates to the practice of medicine
3) List ways that integrating humanity in medicine can benefit patients, physicians, and the healthcare system
4) Evaluate their own thoughts about what it means to be human in the context of also being a physician
Physician Wellness Through an Ethical Lens During Magnified Stress
In this episode of the Well Doc Alberta Physician Wellness Podcast, Dr. Jane Lemaire is joined by two experts in medical ethics, Dr. Cheryl Mack and Dr. Eric Wasylenko, to discuss how ethics and morality affect physician wellness, especially in times of increased stress. Drs. Mack and Wasylenko introduce the language and principles of ethics and morality. They also address moral dilemmas in medicine and identify strategies and supports to prevent moral stress from causing injury or burnout. Special consideration is given to how the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the role of ethics in healthcare and physician wellness.
Learning Objectives:
After hearing this podcast, listeners will be able to:
1) List system-level supports for physicians experiencing moral distress
2) Define moral universalism, nihilism, and relativism
3) Describe common moral dilemmas experienced by physicians
4) Explain why solidarity and trust are important for getting through the pandemic as a society
Sleep
In this episode of the Well Doc Alberta Physician Wellness Podcast, Dr. Jane Lemaire sits down with two sleep experts, Dr. Charles Samuels and Dr. Atul Khullar, to discuss the importance of sleep and the sleep challenges facing physicians both during and before the pandemic. Drs. Samuels and Khullar share their expertise around the science of sleep, sleep routines, how sleep disturbances impact our lives, and what to do if you’re having trouble sleeping not only during the pandemic, but in general throughout your career given the culture and nature of the practice of medicine.
Learning Objectives:
After hearing this podcast, listeners will be able to:
1) List the two most common sleep disturbances affecting physicians
2) Describe how being in a state of hyper-arousal impacts sleep
3) Recall strategies to enhance your sleep routine
4) Describe added sleep challenges being experienced by frontline physicians during the pandemic
5) Identify how to seek help for sleep disturbance
Wellness on the Front Lines of a Pandemic
In this episode, Dr. Jane Lemaire is joined by Dr. Shannon Ruzycki, Associate Director of Physician Wellness and Vitality for the Department of Medicine at the University of Calgary, to discuss the challenges of staying well on the front lines of the pandemic. Dr. Lemaire and Dr. Ruzycki discuss how the focus on physician wellness has shifted with the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of personal protective equipment (PPE), how shiftwork is impacting sleep and nutrition, and some tips and strategies to maintain wellness in these challenging times.
Learning Objectives:
After hearing this podcast, listeners will be able to:
1) Identify three practical issues related to the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
2) List strategies to mitigate the negative psychological and physical effects of PPE.
3) Explain how working on the front lines during the pandemic affects sleep and nutrition.
4) List strategies to combat the challenges facing sleep and nutrition while on the front lines during the pandemic.
Staying Connected: Emotional Connection Amidst Physical Distancing
This is the third and final episode in a multi-part joint podcast series from Well Doc Alberta and the Alberta Medical Association’s Physician and Family Support Program (PFSP). Throughout this series Dr. Jane Lemaire and Dr. Terri Brandon are joined by Fleur Yumol, a clinical social worker and the administrator of the PFSP’s 24-hour support line, to discuss strategies to promote physician wellness during the pandemic.
In this episode, Fleur discusses the importance of emotional connection during the pandemic, strategies to stay connected while maintaining physical distancing, and things we should avoid in order to promote good mental health in these challenging times.
Learning Objectives:
After hearing this podcast, listeners will be able to:
1) Describe why maintaining emotional connection is especially important during the pandemic
2) List three strategies to help maintain emotional connection during physical distancing
3) Identify three things that should be avoided or minimized during physical distancing because they may be detrimental to your mental health
4) Explain how moving to a place of curiosity can enhance emotional connection by avoiding judgement of others
Empathy and Compassion: Offering What We Can During COVID-19
This is the second episode in a multi-part joint podcast series from Well Doc Alberta and the Alberta Medical Association’s Physician and Family Support Program (PFSP). Throughout this series Dr. Jane Lemaire and Dr. Terri Brandon are joined by Fleur Yumol, a clinical social worker and the administrator of the PFSP’s 24-hour support line, to discuss strategies to promote physician wellness during the pandemic.
In this episode, Fleur discusses empathy and compassion: how they relate to vulnerability, connection, passion, and joy; how to set boundaries; and how they can be maintained in the on-line space.
Learning Objectives:
After hearing this podcast, listeners will be able to:
1) Compare empathy and compassion
2) Describe how empathy and compassion relate to vulnerability, connection, joy, and passion
3) Identify how empathy and compassion can help set emotional boundaries when you feel like you are not able to offer support
4) Explain how to maintain empathy and compassion in the on-line space
Self-Awareness: More Important Than Ever
This is the first in a multi-part joint podcast series from Well Doc Alberta and the Alberta Medical Association’s Physician and Family Support Program (PFSP). Throughout this series Dr. Jane Lemaire and Dr. Terrie Brandon are joined by Fleur Yumol, a clinical social worker and the administrator of the PFSP’s 24-hour support line, to discuss strategies to promote physician wellness during the pandemic. In this episode, Fleur discusses self-awareness: what it is, how to harness it, and why it is such a valuable skill for effective coping during this challenging time.
Learning Objectives:
After hearing this podcast, listeners will be able to:
1) Define self-awareness
2) List self-awareness techniques to assess the four spheres of life: emotional, cognitive, physical, and relationships
3) Describe how self-awareness is key to effective coping in times of extreme stress
Let's Talk Physician Suicide
Dr. Debrah Wirtzfeld, Associate Chief Medical Officer of Physician Health, Diversity, and Wellness at Alberta Health Services, and Dr. Jane Lemaire, Physician Lead for Well Doc Alberta, host a chat with Dr. Michael F. Myers of SUNY-Downstate Medical Centre in Brooklyn, NY.
Learning Objectives
After listening to the podcast episode, you will be able to:
- 1. Recall that physicians are at risk of mental illness.
- 2. Identify why physicians are at risk of death by suicide.
- 3. Describe how the healthcare work environment can contribute to physician mental health and illness.
- 4. Identify how individuals and systems can support physician colleagues.
- 5. Identify how physicians can seek support.
Physician Support Services
Click here for a list of available support services that physicians may access in Alberta and Canada.
Dr. Michael F. Myers, MD
Dr. Myers is a Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY. He is author of the recent book titled “Why Physicians Die by Suicide: Lessons Learned from Their Families and Others Who Cared.
Learn more about Dr. Myers at www.michaelfmyers.com.