Sound Mind: conversations about physician wellness and medical culture

“To me, the hidden curriculum is the little things — the off-side comments, the facial expressions. It’s trying to breed a certain type of physician, in a culture that says physicians should be infallible.” – Alexandra Morra, 4th year medical student

From the cafeteria to the clinic, medical students pick up many unspoken messages about physician attitudes and behaviour. Today, this “hidden curriculum” is increasingly under scrutiny for the signals it sends about the pressures of medicine and seeking help. In this episode, fourth year medical student Alexandra Morra talks about her experience with the “hidden curriculum”, and Dr. Caroline Gérin-Lajoie speaks with Dr. Geneviève Moineau, CEO of the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada, about how medical schools are confronting the issue.

Want to learn more about physician wellness? Visit the CMA Physician Wellness Hub for curated, clinically-based tools, resources, and research on all the topics covered in this podcast.

“I can honestly say I have never been through anything like this in my life.” – Dr. Sabrina Akhtar, Toronto.

When a global pandemic was declared in March 2020, medical professionals went into hyperdrive to try and contain the virus, treat patients, and keep themselves safe. Nearly a year later this work continues, but what is the cost to physician wellness? Do we need to re-think wellness supports during COVID-19?

In this episode, Dr. Sabrina Akhtar explains the stress and burnout she’s experienced since the pandemic was declared, and Dr. Caroline Gérin-Lajoie talks to Dr. Joy Albuquerque, medical director of the Ontario Medical Association’s Physician Health program, about how she sees the pandemic impacting physicians.

Want to learn more about physician wellness? Visit the CMA Physician Wellness Hub for curated, clinically-based tools, resources, and research on all the topics covered in this podcast.

The shortage of health care workers in Canada is a growing crisis. The daily tradeoffs of caring for patients while keeping up with administrative demands is leading to burnout – and prompting some professionals to trade private clinics and hospitals for team-based practices.

“Working in a team makes me feel valued. I feel like I have a team that supports me just as much as I support the physician... There's no worrying about rushing to finish your shift and having to choose between not giving care rounds to my patients or not documenting in the EMR.” – Shawna Pasiciel, HealthWORX Medical Clinic

In this episode, host Dr. Caroline Gérin‐Lajoie speaks to Vancouver family doctor Christie Newton and registered nurse Shawna Pasiciel, of Medicine Hat, Alberta, about the wellness benefits of interprofessional collaboration – both for health care professionals and their patients.
If you're looking for resources, tools, and research on the topics covered today, please visit the CMA Physician Wellness Hub at cma.ca.

The strain of working in a health system on the brink – not to mention two years of a pandemic – can erode the sense of meaning that motivates so many physicians. But two emergency doctors, Anthony Fong in Vancouver and Daniel Kollek in Hamilton, found inspiration by going towards, rather than away, from crisis on a volunteer medical mission in Ukraine.

“We provided emergency care in a setting that was really needed... And we didn't have all the bells and whistles you might find in an emerg (ED) in downtown Vancouver. But it doesn't matter. All that matters in that case, in that situation, is that you're communicating as a team and doing as much as you can.” -- Dr. Anthony Fong, Vancouver Coastal Health

In this episode, host Dr. Caroline Gérin‐Lajoie speaks to the two physicians about the conditions they faced at the Ukraine/Poland border, the care they provided and the impact of their experiences on their sense of purpose in medicine.

“It certainly charged my batteries. It reminded me that what I’m doing is helping people in a meaningful way. It also reminded me that we are phenomenally fortunate, not only because we're away from war, but because of all the resources we have. All that context is important.” – Dr. Daniel Kollek, Centre for Excellence in Emergency Preparedness

If you're looking for resources, tools, and research on the topics covered today, please visit the CMA Physician Wellness Hub at cma.ca.

Last year, a Texas A&M University professor predicted a mass exodus of workers in the wake of the pandemic, as people reflected on whether their jobs provided them a sense of purpose. He called it “The Great Resignation.”

In medicine, job dissatisfaction, combined with increasing levels of burnout, is also forcing many doctors to reflect in the same way. Preliminary data from the Canadian Medical Association’s National Physician Health Survey shows nearly half of those surveyed (46%) are considering reducing their clinical hours in the next two years.

Some, like Dr. Kathy Bonapace, have decided to quit the profession altogether.

“The day I knew I needed to stop was when I was operating on a patient, doing a hysterectomy, and I became so nauseous. I thought, “Oh, my God. I'm going to throw up.. And as soon as I finished that case, I went to the area where we usually dictate. I closed the door, laid on the floor with my feet up, and thought, “How am I going to get through the day?” That was the realization I needed to do something different.”

In this episode, host Dr. Caroline Gérin‐Lajoie speaks to Dr. Kathy Bonapace about the difficult decision to leave her busy practice in rural Quebec and what she’s found to fill that void.

And clinician researcher Dr. Nadia Khan shares findings from two studies looking at why so many doctors in BC are disengaged with medicine.