Sound Mind: conversations about physician wellness and medical culture

"We've often been stalled by the fact that medicine is painted as this altruistic, noble, honourable profession, forgetting that medicine is built on such heinous acts of racial violence that we don't often acknowledge." – Dr. Joseph MpalirwaDr. Joseph Mpalirwa is a family physician at Toronto's Casey House and recently co-authored a study on Black physicians' experiences of racism and discrimination in Ontario. In this episode, he joins Dr. Kenneth Fung, an award-winning psychiatrist an...

“In medicine we’ve been held to really unreasonable expectations of what it means to be a physician. Even the idea of ‘health care heroes’ during the pandemic, which came from wanting to honour providers, has actually had the reverse consequence – making health care providers feel they need to be superheroes.”– Dr. Jo Shapiro Dr. Jo Shapiro, surgeon, Harvard professor and founder of the US-based Center for Professionalism and Peer Support, is internationally recognized for her work in ph...

"We aren’t actually part of normal society, not anymore. Medicine does something to us. It teaches us another language, one only other doctors can understand. Eventually it scripts our emotions, neutralizing them whenever they threaten to overwhelm our senses.” – Dr. Jillian HortonDr. Jillian Horton is an internist and award-winning medical educator, and a writer and expert on physician health. Yet like more than one-quarter of physicians, she has struggled with severe burnout.Her new book, W...

“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 studentFrom 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 ...

“If we have a system where asking for help is not a normal part of medical training, it creates this perception that if you’re struggling and need help, it’s a weakness.” – Dr. Stephanie KleinStatistics reveal that burnout, depression and suicidal ideation are at a peak during residency, compared to any other time in a physician's career. Why is residency such a difficult time and how can we ensure people get the support they need? In this episode, Dr. Caroline Gérin-Lajoie speaks ...

“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 experie...