"I am not my diagnoses." 

These are the words of Janet Rodriguez, a generous patient, advocate, and educator, who joins host Dr. Cameron Wong for the final episode of our Day 1 Allies series. As new residents step into their roles, Janet offers a grounding reminder: every patient you meet is a person first. Not a diagnosis. Not a pathology. A person.

In this moving conversation, Janet shares the wisdom she’s gathered from years of experience partnering with healthcare teams. She reflects on what makes a doctor trustworthy and what makes care feel truly compassionate. You’ll hear practical advice on listening with intention, asking questions that matter, and being honest when you don’t know the answer. Most of all, you’ll learn how to co-create care... together with your patients.

Specialty Café returns later this summer with more episodes on primary specialties, CaRMS prep, and beyond. Stay connected with us on the Royal College’s Instagram and YouTube  for new content, insights, and inspiration.

If you're starting a Royal College accredited residency, don't forget to join as a Resident Affiliate. It’s free, and you can start claiming MOC credits right away. Click here to learn more.

What does spiritual care look like in a hospital setting?  In this episode, we explore the broad and evolving role of the Spiritual Health Practitioner, a healthcare team member who offers emotional, existential, and spiritual support to patients, families, and even staff, regardless of belief system.

Host Dr. Cameron Wong speaks with Suzanne Robertson, a passionate and dedicated Spiritual Health Practitioner, about the many dimensions of this deeply human role. As the spiritual and religious needs of our society shift, so too does this profession, evolving to meet the diverse needs of patients in today’s complex care environments. It’s enormously rewarding work with extraordinary people going through everyday experiences that we’ll all be confronted with. It’s also a way to recognize a person’s humanity in moments where they may otherwise feel pathologized.

From helping patients process grief or life-altering diagnoses to supporting healthcare workers through burnout and moral distress, Suzanne brings clarity and compassion to an often unknown part of the healthcare team.

If you're starting your residency and feeling overwhelmed, unsure, or just in need of a meaningful conversation, don’t hesitate to reach out to your hospital’s spiritual health team. As Suzanne reminds us, they’re here for you too.

If you're starting a Royal College accredited residency, don't forget to join as a Resident Affiliate. It’s free, and you can start claiming MOC credits right away. Click here to learn more.

This episode continues our Day 1 Allies series, a campaign to support new residents as they join the clinical team. In this episode, we focus on a role that often works behind the scenes but has a huge impact on patient care: the Patient Care Navigator (PCN).

Host Cameron Wong, MD chats with Taylor Farrance, to explore how PCNs guide patients from admission through to discharge... and why this process is far more complex than it looks. Taylor describes discharge planning as something that evolves every day during a patient’s stay, shaped by input from the entire allied health team. As Cameron puts it, PCNs are the masters of discharge planning, and essential allies for new residents.

In this episode, we unpack questions like:

• What does a Patient Care Navigator actually do? • Why is discharge planning a process that starts early and not at the end of a hospital stay? • How do PCNs center patient and family needs in the discharge plan? • What should residents do if their hospital doesn’t have a PCN?

Key takeaway: Communicate early and often. Whether you have a PCN or another discharge coordinator, building a strong line of communication is key to safe, effective care.

If you're starting a Royal College accredited residency, don't forget to join as a Resident Affiliate. It’s free, and you can start claiming MOC credits right away. Click here to learn more.

Starting R1 this July? We've got your back.

This episode kicks off our Day 1 Allies series, a campaign to support new residents as they join the clinical team. We’re starting with a vital but sometimes misunderstood member of the healthcare team: the pharmacist.

Host Cameron Wong, MD (congrats to him as he begins R1!) sits down with Clement Chan, PharmD ACPR, to explore how pharmacists support residents, collaborate on patient care, and bring clinical expertise to the bedside. Fun fact: Clement and Cameron met on a rotation, and the experience left a big impression.

In this episode, we answer some big questions:

• What exactly does a pharmacist do in a hospital setting?

• Do pharmacists see patients directly?

• How do they help residents succeed, especially in those high-stress early days?

• And yes… do they actually know every drug (and colour)?

• Key takeaway: Ask your pharmacist questions. Ask for help. They want you to succeed... because when residents succeed, so do patients.   

If you're starting a Royal College accredited residency, don't forget to join as a Resident Affiliate! It’s free, and you can start claiming MOC credits right away. Click here to learn more.

Are you not only interested in psychiatry, but also in how to have a healthy and fulfilling residency? This episode is for anyone who's curious about why humans are the way they are—and wants to hear how compassion and empathy can go a long way in both medicine and life.

Today’s guest, Patricia Celan, MD, shares insight into her journey to becoming a psychiatry resident. She talks with host Cameron Wong (now an MD!) about the incredibly varied and broad practice of psychiatry, and the many ways you can tailor it to reflect your interests and values.

Dr. Celan also speaks to the importance of advocating for your patients—and for yourself. Her advice? Feed all aspects of who you are during residency. You're not ‘just’ a doctor, but a whole person with passions and experiences outside of medicine. Tending to those can make you an even better physician.

And remember: your community—both inside and outside of medicine—matters. It really does take a village to raise a resident.  

If you're starting a Royal College accredited residency, don't forget to join as a Resident Affiliate! It’s free, and you can start claiming MOC credits right away. Click here to learn more.

You’re looking ahead to future-you as a specialist. You’re someone who loves your patients and loves your job! You get paged at 3 a.m. and your immediate thought is, "yes!” On many occasions, there’s laughter and tears of joy in the operating room. You thrive on nearly every medical and surgical aspect of your work and find deep joy in your day-to-day. Sure, balance in life can be a challenge... but it’s possible.

You’ve probably already guessed this episode is about OBGYN. Dr. Modupe Tunde-Byass, FRCSC, shares with host Cameron Wong, her passion for the many roles she holds. From past-president of the Black Physicians of Canada to president-elect of the Federation of Medical Women of Canada... and as a mother wife, generalist, researcher, teacher, leader, mentor, and lifelong learner... there’s a lot to unpack in this conversation.

Not only does this episode explore what OBGYN actually involves, it also offers powerful takeaways about the privilege of being a doctor and the importance of seizing opportunities for advocacy right on your doorstep.

Do you suffer from neurophobia? Neurology can seem daunting, but it’s also one of the most rewarding fields in medicine. In this episode, we learn how conversation and comfort with uncertainty are key to mastering this complex specialty.

Chris Watling, MD, FRCPC, neurologist and CEO of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, joins host Cameron Wong live at the International Congress on Academic Medicine 2025. 

From practicing community neurology to becoming a program director, associate dean, and eventually CEO, Dr. Watling shares his unexpected career journey and offers some top notch insights for medical trainees. His advice? Stay open to new opportunities—and pay attention to what energizes you most.

If you're starting a Royal College accredited residency, don't forget to join as a Resident Affiliate! It’s free, and you can start claiming MOC credits right away. Click here to learn more.

Before we dive into rural General Surgery… a sage piece of advice from our very sage guest: Time flies. On day 1 of practice – plan how and when you want to retire! Review your plan! 

Host Cameron Wong sits down with Yemi Laosebikan, MD, FRCSC, a General Surgeon practicing in Melfort, Saskatchewan, to explore what it truly means to serve a rural community in Canada.

This conversation goes far beyond the scope of general surgery. From managing surgical emergencies with limited resources to advocating for systemic change and mentoring the next generation of physicians, Dr. Laosebikan shares the reality of being the only surgeon—and the only specialist in a town of 7,000 with a catchment area of 20,000. He reflects on how trauma-informed training, preventative medicine, community engagement, and long-term planning all shape his approach to rural practice. Whether you're considering general surgery or curious about the role of specialists in rural health care, this episode is a masterclass in leadership, humility, and service.

If you're starting a Royal College accredited residency, don't forget to join as a Resident Affiliate! It’s free, and you can start claiming MOC credits right away. Click here to learn more.

In Part 2 of our Medicine or Surgery panel, medical students take the mic to ask the questions that are often left out of formal talks. From starting a family, to getting into competitive programs, to the importance of YOUR brand, to doing fellowships abroad, to choosing between medicine and surgery... and so much more.  Nothing is off the table.

Our guests, Adrian Huang, MBBChBAO, FRCSC, (Orthopedic Surgery) and Lara Best, MD, FRCPC (Radiation Oncology), share honest reflections on the real-life factors that shaped their decisions around specialty, practice setting, and lifestyle.

Don’t miss the full picture—listen to Part 1 of the panel, released April 29, where we dig into career insights, specialty choice, and what motivates our guests!  

If you're starting a Royal College accredited residency, don't forget to join as a Resident Affiliate! It’s free, and you can start claiming MOC credits right away. Click here to learn more.

Interested in education, engagement, and empowerment? Check out Dr. Huang's passion at Scrubbedout. 

Specialty Café is back — and better than ever! We’re diving back into the Royal College’s specialty landscape, spotlighting new voices from across the country. Tune in for conversations with Fellows, residents, and allied health professionals — plus practical episodes designed to help you thrive on Day 1 of residency.

In this episode: Medicine or Surgery — still deciding? We’ve got you. Join host Mark Garabedian as he welcomes Lara Best, MD, FRCPC (Radiation Oncology) and Adrian Huang, MBBChBAO, FRCSC (Orthopedic Surgery) live from the Canadian Medical Student Conference in Halifax. They unpack common myths, share what residency programs really look for, and offer real talk on how to show up for your first day — spoiler: your attitude matters more than you think.

Whether you're leaning toward clinical care, academics, or still exploring, this episode is packed with encouragement, clarity, and career advice to help you move forward with confidence.

Don’t miss Pt 2 of this episode for an packed Q&A with students and our guests (dropping April 30, 2025). 

If you're starting a Royal College accredited residency, don't forget to join as a Resident Affiliate! It’s free, and you can start claiming MOC credits right away. Click here to learn more.

Interested in education, engagement, and empowerment? Check out Dr. Huang's passion at Scrubbedout.