CMAJ Podcasts

By Canadian Medical Association Journal

What's CMAJ Podcasts about?

CMAJ Podcasts: Exploring the latest in Canadian medicine from coast to coast to coast with your hosts, Drs. Mojola Omole and Blair Bigham. CMAJ Podcasts delves into the scientific and social health advances on the cutting edge of Canadian health care. Episodes include real stories of patients, clinicians, and others who are impacted by our health care system.

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CMAJ Podcasts episodes:

04.22.2024
Confronting the high stakes of incivility in health care
On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Eve Purdy makes it clear what’s at stake when it comes to incivility in medicine. "It's very simple. Incivility kills patients, and that needs to be the single line of every healthcare...
04.08.2024
Diagnosis and treatment of anorexia nervosa in adolescent males
On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Blair Bigham and Dr. Mojola Omole closely examine anorexia nervosa in male adolescents, a topic that frequently escapes notice. Their discussion highlights the disorder's prevalence, especially among high-risk groups like LGBTQ+ individuals...
03.25.2024
Diagnosing rare and common infections in returning travellers
On this episode, Dr. Blair Bigham and Dr. Mojola Omole explore a clinical case involving a rare infection in a returned traveler, highlighting the critical role of travel history in diagnosing unusual diseases. They discuss the case of a woman...
03.11.2024
Building patient trust in health care
On this episode, Dr. Blair Bigham and Dr. Mojola Omole explore two articles in CMAJ focused on the critical importance of trust in the health care system. They speak with Louis Lochhead, who shares his experiences navigating the health care...
02.26.2024
Opioid poisonings: shortfalls in treatment and new threats
On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Catherine Varner, deputy editor of CMAJ, sits in for Dr. Blair Bigham and joins Dr. Mojola Omole to explore two articles published in the journal that highlight troubling findings concerning the treatment...
02.12.2024
Exclusion of people with disabilities in medicine
On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Blair Bigham and Dr. Mojola Omole examine an article published in CMAJ titled, 'Tackling barriers to Canadian medical school admissions for students with disabilities.' The analysis highlights how medical education has historically...
01.29.2024
More than just novel obesity treatments
On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Blair Bigham and Dr. Mojola Omole discuss the practice article in the journal entitled, “Five things to know about…Novel obesity treatments". They discuss the impact of new medications like semaglutide and tirzepatide...
01.15.2024
ASA: a simple, effective and underused treatment for preeclampsia
On this episode, Dr. Emmanuel Bujold addresses the gross underutilization of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) in Canada during pregnancy, a treatment highly effective in preventing preterm preeclampsia among those at risk. Dr. Bujold is an OB-GYN in Quebec City and a...
12.25.2023
ENCORE: Smartphones, social media and poor mental health
On this episode, we revisit and update one of the most-read articles on the CMAJ website. The article is titled, “Smartphones, social media use, and youth mental health.” It reviews the extensive literature linking poor mental health in adolescents...
12.11.2023
Pharmacogenomic testing: billion-dollar savings in depression treatment
On this episode, Drs. Blair Bigham and Mojola Omole discuss the CMAJ paper "Cost-effectiveness of pharmacogenomic-guided treatment for major depression". The paper examines the potential of pharmacogenomic testing in the treatment of major depression and its implications for health care...
11.27.2023
The rapid evolution and enhanced capabilities of virtual urgent care
On this episode, Drs. Blair Bigham and Mojola Omole delve into the evolution and advancements in virtual urgent care since the COVID-19 pandemic. The discussion centers around the study published in CMAJ entitled "Healthcare utilization and outcomes of patients seen...
11.13.2023
Recommendations on SARS-CoV-2, influenza and RSV vaccinations
On this episode, Drs. Mojola Omole and Blair Bigham speak with two vaccine experts about the necessity, timing and availability of vaccines as we move into the season when influenza, RSV and COVID-19 are on the rise. Dr. Scott...
10.30.2023
New guidelines for alcohol use disorder
In this episode, Drs. Blair Bigham and Mojola Omole delve into the pressing issue of alcohol use disorder (AUD) in Canada with Dr. Evan Wood, the lead author of the “Canadian guideline for the clinical management of high risk drinking...
10.16.2023
Promoting health equity in primary care
In this episode, Dr. Blair Bigham and Dr. Mojola Omole speak with two co-authors of a new guideline published in CMAJ entitled "Preventive care recommendations to promote health equity". Dr. Nav Persaud and Dr. Aisha Lofters explain the importance of...
10.02.2023
Tick-borne illnesses: an evolving health concern
In this episode, Drs. Blair Bigham and Mojola Omole speak with two leading experts: Dr. Samira Jeimy, an allergist, and Dr. Isaac Bogoch, a specialist in infectious diseases, about the increasing prevalence of allergies and infections in Canada attributed to...
09.18.2023
EDs in crisis: causes and solutions
Canada’s emergency departments are in crisis: hospital occupancy rates exceed 90% for many days in a row, and many Canadian hospitals have been exceeding 100% occupancy for months on end. As a result, quality of care has decreased, staff retention...
09.04.2023
Smartphones, social media and poor mental health
On this encore episode, we revisit and update one of the most-read articles on the CMAJ website. The article is titled, “Smartphones, social media use, and youth mental health.” It reviews the extensive literature linking poor mental health in adolescents...
08.21.2023
Encore: Diagnosing, treating and living with migraine
== This is an encore presentation of an episode originally published on Jan 30, 2023 == Migraine is a common condition that affects around 12% of adults, with a higher prevalence in women (18%) than men (6%). Global burden of disease...
08.07.2023
The power of narrative medicine
The award-winning essay in the CMAJ, "Sometimes, often," beautifully showcases the power of narrative to forge a deep connection between physicians and patients. The article clearly resonated with our readers, as it was the most-read humanities piece this year. On...
07.24.2023
Radon and lung cancer: A call to action for physicians and policymakers
Radon gas exposure is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers, accounting for approximately 3,000 cases annually in Canada. A “Five things to know about…” paper in CMAJ entitled “Radon and lung cancer risk" encourages physicians to ask patients...
07.03.2023
Optimizing nonsurgical management of major hemorrhage
Major hemorrhage is life-threatening and can occur in a variety of clinical settings. A review paper in CMAJ, entitled "Nonsurgical management of major hemorrhage," advocates for the implementation of massive hemorrhage protocols across all types of hospitals to optimize patient...
06.19.2023
Time for a reset: menopause and hormone replacement therapy
Many women complain that physicians are reluctant to treat menopause with the full range of available therapies, often dismissing symptoms as 'natural' and something to be endured. A review article in CMAJ finds that physician fears around menopausal hormone therapy...
06.05.2023
Expanding screening of hypertension patients for primary aldosteronism
On this episode, Dr. Greg Hundemar, co-author of the practice paper in CMAJ “Screening for primary aldosteronism in primary care” discusses primary aldosteronism, its implications and the need to expand screening guidelines. Primary aldosteronism, also known as primary hyperaldosteronism...
05.22.2023
Genetic Perils: Allopurinol Hypersensitivity Syndrome and Personalized Medicine
Allopurinol hypersensitivity syndrome (AHS) affects approximately 1 in 1,000 patients prescribed allopurinol, with reported mortality rates between 20% and 25%. The risk of AHS is nearly 100 times higher in carriers of the HLA-B*58:01 allele than in noncarriers. Populations with...
05.08.2023
How to Prevent Fragility Fractures: A Guideline for Family Doctors
Fragility fractures are a major health concern for older adults and can result in disability, admission to hospital and long-term care, and reduced quality of life. The Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care guideline published in CMAJ provides...
04.24.2023
Rethinking preoperative anemia: Challenging WHO guidelines and targeting hemoglobin levels in major elective surgery
An estimated 23%-45% of patients undergoing major surgery have anemia, with the most common causes being iron deficiency anemia and anemia of inflammation or chronic disease. In this episode, Drs. Mojola Omole and Blair Bigham speak with Dr. Clarissa Skorupski and...
04.10.2023
Diagnosing, treating and living with endometriosis
Many patients report their symptoms of endometriosis are often dismissed by healthcare providers as “normal” dysmenorrhea. This worldwide trend results in delays to diagnosis that are estimated to range from 6 to 11 years from symptom onset. On this...
03.27.2023
How to diagnose and manage polyneuropathy
Clinicians may find diagnosing polyneuropathy challenging due to the vague and insidious onset of symptoms. Identifying signs consistent with polyneuropathy and determining which investigations to conduct and when to be concerned can be daunting. Polyneuropathy involves simultaneous dysfunction of multiple...
03.13.2023
Redesigning streets to make them safe for bikes, e-scooters, and pedestrians
The use of electric scooters (e-scooters) has witnessed a substantial surge globally. However, the presence of these motorized vehicles on sidewalks poses a significant risk to pedestrians. A recent practice paper published in CMAJ describes the case of a 68-year-old...
02.27.2023
Understanding parents’ concerns about vaccinating their children against SARS-CoV-2
Uptake of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine for children aged 5–11 years has been lower than anticipated in Canada. Although research has explored parental intentions toward SARS-CoV-2 vaccination for children, the drivers of parents’ decisions to seek vaccination for their children -...
02.13.2023
Virtual versus in-person consultation: getting the mix right
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, Ontario saw a 5600% increase in virtual visits to health care practitioners, while in-office visits decreased by 79% from the previous year. In 2018, only 4% of family physicians in Canada were offering video visits...
01.30.2023
Diagnosing, treating and living with migraine
Migraine is a common condition that affects around 12% of adults, with a higher prevalence in women (18%) than men (6%). Global burden of disease estimates in 2019 found migraine to be the leading cause of disability in women aged...
01.16.2023
Diagnosing, assessing and treating long COVID
Diagnosing long COVID, or post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), is challenging for clinicians. With up to 200 possible symptoms, heterogeneous presentations and no definitive diagnostic test, the diagnosis is a clinical one. In this episode, Dr. Kieran Quinn, a...
01.02.2023
Looking back, looking forward with CMAJ editors
On this special episode, Drs. Blair Bigham and Mojola Omole interview CMAJ editor-in-chief, Dr. Kirsten Patrick, and executive editor, Dr. James Maskalyk. They talk about the journal's accomplishments over the past year and some of the challenges related to its...
12.19.2022
Canada’s primary care crisis: addressing the causes and finding solutions
A popular theory to explain the crisis in primary care in Canada is that newly graduating physicians simply do not see as many patients as previous generations. But recently published research has thoroughly debunked that myth. David Rudoler is the...
12.05.2022
Managing epistaxis and identifying who may have a bleeding disorder
An “old wives’ tale” has persisted in the treatment of anterior epistaxis. A practice article in CMAJ entitled, "Five things to know about anterior epistaxis" discusses what many are doing wrong and the proper way to treat anterior epistaxis. On...
11.21.2022
Recognizing and addressing human monkeypox in Canada
A practice article in CMAJ presents 8 images of monkeypox mucocutaneous lesions presenting in Canadian patients from May to July 2022. The images show a spectrum of common lesions seen in patients with human monkeypox during the 2022 outbreak in...
11.07.2022
Exploring the promise of AI in medicine
Artificial intelligence, such as computer-aided detection and computer-aided diagnosis or differentiation uses complex algorithms to identify and characterize polyps in situ during screening for colorectal cancer. Emergent evidence suggests that the performance of AI models is superior to current standards...
10.31.2022
Special Episode: Tackling anti-Black racism in medicine
Efforts to combat anti-Black racism in Canadian healthcare are underway but much remains to be done to dismantle the ideas, systems and implicit biases that underpin this specific form of discrimination. On this special one-hour episode, Drs Omole and...
10.24.2022
Ensuring equitable access to cancer care for Black populations
Black and immigrant populations are disproportionately underrepresented in regular screening for cancer. Race-based data from Canada are minimally-available, but research from the United States and Europe has shown that the lifetime risk of developing prostate cancer is much higher among...
10.10.2022
Optimizing care for patients experiencing sickle cell crises.
Several hospitals are known for providing particularly excellent care to people experiencing a sickle cell crisis. For example, the ER at UHN meets a key recommendation from the 2017 Ontario Clinical Handbook that patients receive analgesia within 30 minutes of...
09.26.2022
How to be better at diagnosing rare conditions.
Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of painful swelling without urticaria that leads to substantial morbidity and even mortality if left untreated. On this episode, Dr. Victoria Cook, an immunologist working in...
09.12.2022
Urgent need to improve organ donation experience for donor families
Many families of organ donors describe feeling alone and abandoned at the moment when their loved one is taken to the operating room for donation. Heather Talbot says she and her family were left on their own as her son...
08.29.2022
Clearing Misconceptions about Functional Neurological Disorders
Functional Neurological Disorders (FND) make up a significant portion of referrals to neurology, maybe as high as 30%. However, misconceptions regarding these disorders remain across medicine, and patients are frequently dismissed as “faking it.” FND are neuropsychiatric conditions in which...
08.15.2022
Hot Flash: Experiencing menopause in medicine
When contemplating issues of diversity and inclusion, medicine needs to consider menopause. A commentary in CMAJ argues that discussion about and, where needed, accommodation of menopause is a necessary step toward providing women physicians with a supportive and comfortable work...
08.01.2022
Encore Presentation: Recognizing and Treating POTS
This is an encore presentation of our most popular episode of the past year. Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a disorder that can profoundly affect patients' quality of life. Its main characteristic is tachycardia on standing without a drop...
07.25.2022
Special Episode - Depression in pregnancy and the postpartum period: should we screen everyone?
The short answer to this question, according to a new guideline published in CMAJ, is “No.” In this special episode, CMAJ editor in chief, Dr. Kirsten Patrick, talks to Dr. Eddy Lang, lead author of the guideline entitled Recommendation on...
07.18.2022
Does bodychecking experience really reduce concussions?
In an effort to reduce the high burden of injury in Canadian youth ice hockey, most associations have restricted bodychecking nationally among leagues for younger players (age 11–12 yr), as well as in certain nonelite divisions of play in older...
07.04.2022
Fixing the problem of drug shortages in Canada
Drug shortages are a persistent problem in Canada and around the world. They interfere with patients’ ability to consistently take medication to manage chronic diseases. And they disrupt urgent care as critical drugs like epinephrine and propofol face shortages. ...
06.20.2022
Suicidality crisis among transgender adolescents
The author of a new study in CMAJ says the risk of suicidality among transgender youth, “is really a crisis.” Mila Kingsbury and her co-authors found that trans and non-binary teens were as much as 7 times more likely than...

What's CMAJ Podcasts about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

CMAJ Podcasts episodes:

Confronting the high stakes of incivility in health care

Diagnosis and treatment of anorexia nervosa in adolescent males

Diagnosing rare and common infections in returning travellers

Building patient trust in health care

Opioid poisonings: shortfalls in treatment and new threats

Exclusion of people with disabilities in medicine

More than just novel obesity treatments

ASA: a simple, effective and underused treatment for preeclampsia

ENCORE: Smartphones, social media and poor mental health

Pharmacogenomic testing: billion-dollar savings in depression treatment

The rapid evolution and enhanced capabilities of virtual urgent care

Recommendations on SARS-CoV-2, influenza and RSV vaccinations

New guidelines for alcohol use disorder

Promoting health equity in primary care

Tick-borne illnesses: an evolving health concern

EDs in crisis: causes and solutions

Smartphones, social media and poor mental health

Encore: Diagnosing, treating and living with migraine

The power of narrative medicine

Radon and lung cancer: A call to action for physicians and policymakers

Optimizing nonsurgical management of major hemorrhage

Time for a reset: menopause and hormone replacement therapy

Expanding screening of hypertension patients for primary aldosteronism

Genetic Perils: Allopurinol Hypersensitivity Syndrome and Personalized Medicine

How to Prevent Fragility Fractures: A Guideline for Family Doctors

Rethinking preoperative anemia: Challenging WHO guidelines and targeting hemoglobin levels in major elective surgery

Diagnosing, treating and living with endometriosis

How to diagnose and manage polyneuropathy

Redesigning streets to make them safe for bikes, e-scooters, and pedestrians

Understanding parents’ concerns about vaccinating their children against SARS-CoV-2

Virtual versus in-person consultation: getting the mix right

Diagnosing, treating and living with migraine

Diagnosing, assessing and treating long COVID

Looking back, looking forward with CMAJ editors

Canada’s primary care crisis: addressing the causes and finding solutions

Managing epistaxis and identifying who may have a bleeding disorder

Recognizing and addressing human monkeypox in Canada

Exploring the promise of AI in medicine

Special Episode: Tackling anti-Black racism in medicine

Ensuring equitable access to cancer care for Black populations

Optimizing care for patients experiencing sickle cell crises.

How to be better at diagnosing rare conditions.

Urgent need to improve organ donation experience for donor families

Clearing Misconceptions about Functional Neurological Disorders

Hot Flash: Experiencing menopause in medicine

Encore Presentation: Recognizing and Treating POTS

Special Episode - Depression in pregnancy and the postpartum period: should we screen everyone?

Does bodychecking experience really reduce concussions?

Fixing the problem of drug shortages in Canada

Suicidality crisis among transgender adolescents