CFMS Podcasts (Canadian Federation of Medical Students)

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.

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.

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.

Welcome back. For this episode of the Who (Health) Cares CFMS Podcast Series, host Erin gets to know Dr. Natalie Sirizzotti – a paediatrician working at the Windsor Regional Hospital in Windsor, Ontario. Dr. Sirizzotti attended medical school and completed her residency training at Western University's Schulich School of Medicine. She now engages in medical education and mentors students at Schulich. Fun fact – Dr. Sirizzotti actually started volunteering on the Pediatrics Ward at Windsor Regional Hospital when she was 16, and has now come full circle to work at the same place! Outside of medicine, she enjoys spending time with her family and exploring new playgrounds with her 2-year-old daughter. If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and follow us @cfmspodcast for updates on future guests and episodes!

In Who (Health) Cares, we sit down with physicians across Canada and across specialties in hopes of getting to know them better. We’ll talk a bit about medicine and a lot about who they are. Stay tuned for more guests, and stay connected on social media @cfmspodcast on Instagram!

Credits: Host: Erin Lin Producers: Rachel Tooth, Erin Lin, Kieran Chalmers Editor: Ken Yu Social Media and Cover Art: Adela Gottardi Music: Slade Lake, Alex Baldassare @cfmsfemc

In today's episode, Zier Zhou of the CFMS Research in Medicine podcast speaks with Dr. Hanneman, a cardiothoracic radiologist, clinician-scientist, and associate professor at the University of Toronto. 

Dr. Hanneman opens up about how staying curious and open-minded has helped her incredibly along her career. She talks about overcoming challenges while pursuing further training in the US, the ongoing impacts of AI on diagnostic imaging, and why radiologists should care about environmental sustainability. 

Follow her on Twitter @KateHanneman! And if you're a medical student in search of radiology resources, check out the Medical Student Network (MSN): https://car.ca/medical-student-network-msn/

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

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.

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. 

In this episode, Kevin Won of the CFMS Research in Medicine podcast speaks with Dr. Mary-Anne Aarts, Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto and Chief of Surgery at St. Joseph’s Health Centre. Dr. Aart discusses her journey throughout medicine as well as her research interests and leadership roles, focusing on her experience with the Surgeon Scientist Training Program. She also shares advice on finding a suitable research mentor, highlighting the importance of curiosity, passion, and drive.

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

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

In today’s episode, Megan Lowe from the CFMS Research in Medicine podcast interviews Peter Zhang, a hospital pharmacist at Southlake Regional Health Centre, tech professional at an AI startup, and PhD student at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto. Peter completed a combined PharmD/MBA at the University of Toronto and is a guest lecturer on topics such as vaccine hesitancy, clinical microbiology, and management.

As a former Reach Alliance researcher at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, Peter studied polio elimination in India. An avid researcher and writer, his work has been featured in journals like BMJ Global Health and national outlets like the Toronto Star, Globe and Mail, and National Post.

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

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

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!

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.

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!

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.

In this episode, Tania Kazi, a final year medical student at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, and Bethany Saunders, a Master’s student in Medical Science at the University of Calgary, share clinical insights and current research in Crohn’s disease. They outline the epidemiology, etiology, prognosis, clinical presentations, and management of Crohn’s disease, as well as research gaps and ongoing developments in the understanding of the disease. This seminar was part of the 2023-24 Collaboration of Practitioners and Researchers Seminar Series.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Hey everyone! In this episode, host Rachel chats with Dr. David Conrad. He holds numerous roles in the medical community, including Hematopathology Division Head at the Izaak Walton Killam (IWK) Health and Associate Professorship at Dalhousie Medical School in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Dr. Conrad also serves as a hematopathologist at multiple institutions in Halifax and is the Immunology Section Head at Dalhousie University.
Rachel and Dr. Conrad discuss his extensive work in hematopathology, his innovative "Cellfie" research project, and his passion for advancing medical science, among other things. An article about the Cellfie project can be found here In Who (Health) Cares, we sit down with physicians across Canada and across specialties in hopes of getting to know them better. We’ll talk a bit about medicine and a lot about who they are. Stay tuned for more guests, and stay connected on social media @cfmspodcast on Instagram!
Credits: Host: Rachel Tooth Producers: Rachel Tooth, Erin Lin, Kieran Chalmers Editor: Ken Yu Social Media and Cover Art: Adela Gottardi Music: Slade Lake, Alex Baldassare @cfmsfemc

Hi again. In this episode, host Erin has a chat with Dr. Ross Lepera. He’s a family doctor in Windsor, ON, and an active educator in Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine’s Windsor Regional Campus. 

Erin and Dr. Lepara discuss the charms of family medicine and the importance of “food for the soul” throughout a medical career, amongst other topics. 

In Who (Health) Cares, we will be getting to know physicians across Canada and across specialties . We will talk a bit about 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: Erin Lin

Producers: Rachel Tooth, Erin Lin, Kieran Chalmers

Editor: Ken Yu

Social Media and Cover Art: Adela Gottardi

Music: Slade Lake, Alex Baldassare

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

Hey everyone! In this episode, host Kieran speaks with Dr. Erin Chouinard. She holds a variety of roles in the medical community, including a Family Practice in Niagara Falls and teaching positions at both McMaster and Western University (and much more!). Kieran and Dr. Chouinard discuss being and staying active, medical education and life in different parts of Canada, amongst other things. In Who (Health) Cares, we will be getting to know physicians across Canada and across specialties. We will talk a bit about 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: Kieran Chalmers Producers: Rachel Tooth, Erin Lin, Kieran Chalmers Editor: Ken Yu Social Media and Cover Art: Adela Gottardi Music: Slade Lake, Alex Baldassare

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.

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.

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

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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!