Conversations with Jillian

Join host Jillian Horton, MD, FRCPC as she speaks with Teresa Chan, HBSc , BEd , MD, FRCPC, MHPE, DRCPSC (Clin. Ed.), MBA, about navigating a career in medicine after a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis during residency. In this conversation, Dr. Chan reflects on how her experience as a physician-patient has shaped the way she teaches, practises and leads. She speaks openly about the moments her own symptoms didn't match the textbook descriptions she had learned, and what that revealed about how medicine listens to patients. She also shares her perspective on accommodations in medical training and practice, the importance of physicians seeing themselves as people first, and why disclosing a chronic illness , rather than carrying it silently , so often changes everything.

Join host Jillian Horton, MD, FRCPC as she speaks with Jon Novick, MDCM, FRCPC about his work in physician health and his own lived experience as a physician with a chronic illness. In this conversation, he reflects on what it means to be both a physician and a patient, the cultural forces within medicine that make it difficult to seek and receive care, and the unique challenges of treating , or being treated by , a colleague. Drawing on decades of experience and his own journey with inflammatory bowel disease, Dr. Novick speaks candidly about minimization, self-compassion, and why the standard we apply to our patients deserves to be the same standard we apply to ourselves. Dr. Jon S. Novick, MDCM, FRCPC is a psychiatrist, psychoanalyst and addiction medicine specialist with a private practice in Oakville, Ontario. He serves as Medical Director of the OMA Physician Health Program in Toronto, where his work focuses on physician health and well-being through education, advocacy, assessment, and connecting physicians with the support and resources they need.

Join host Jillian Horton, MD, FRCPC as she speaks with Maria Zorzitto , MD, FRCPC . During her university years, Maria experienced a traumatic car accident that left her with a spinal cord injury , making her paraplegic overnight. What followed was a long period of hospitalization and rehabilitation , learning how to manage daily life , before eventually return ing to her medical training. In this conversation, Maria reflect s on navigating a car e er in medicine as a person with accessibility needs, the invaluable support she received from her teachers and colleagues, and how creative, "out of the box" thinking shaped her experiences as a patient and as a practicing physician . Royal College members: you can earn MOC Section 2 - Individual Learning credits for listening to this podcast . Dr. Maria Zorzitto is a geriatrician practicing at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto. With over 40 years in practice, Dr. Zorzitto has been involved in clinical geriatrics, teaching and research in all settings of geriatric services in academic and community care. At St. Michael's Hospital, she has worked with a multidisciplinary team to establish the Geriatric Emergency Management Program, the Geriatric Trauma Service and the Acute Care of the Elderly Unit .

Join host Jillian Horton, MD, FRCPC as she speaks with Nancy Olivieri , MD, FRCPC . The discussion highlights the importance of advocacy in medicine, particularly in support of patients , and exploring how fear can prevent some from speaking out. They also discuss what someone can do to support a colleague taking a risk if they are n o t comfortable speaking up for themselves . Royal College members: you can earn MOC Section 2 - Individual Learning credits for watching this video . A Hematologist , Dr. Nancy Olivieri is a professor of Pediatrics, Medicine and Public Health Sciences at the University of Toronto . She is a Senior Scientist with the Toronto General Hospital Research I nstitute and the Cancer Care Research Unit with the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. Dr. Olivieri's research focuses on blood disorders : sickle cell disease and thalassemia.

Join host Jillian Horton, MD, FRCPC as she speaks with Sharon Straus , MD, FRCPC about her own evolution from being a mentee to developing her own skills and passion as a mentor . They also discuss Dr. Straus' s transition from clinical work int o leadership roles and the importance of prioritizing her own wellness so that she can be a model for the people that she leads . The conversation also touches on what leaders can do to support health care professionals and learners in a post-pandemic world with ongoing challenges facing the health care system. Royal College members: you can earn MOC Section 2 - Individual Learning credits for watching this video . Dr. Sharon Straus is the Executive Vice-President, Clinical and Chief Medical Officer for Unity Health Toronto. She is also a g eriatrician and scientist at St. Michael's Hospital (Toronto) and has held leadership positions at the hospital and the University of Toronto since 2009. Dr. Straus is recogni zed for her commitment to excellence in mentorship, impactful research, and knowledge translation.

Join host Jillian Horton, MD, FRCPC as she speaks with Thomas Piggott , MD, FRCPC . Together they talk about formative experiences that influenced Dr. Piggott's desire to become a public health physician . They also discuss the unique challenges that he and other health care profession al s encounter when choosing a career in public health . Lastly, Dr. Piggott explains how advocacy and communication are integral to the work of a public health physician whose patient consists of a n entire population rather than a single person. Royal College members: you can earn MOC Section 2 - Individual Learning credits for watching this video . Dr. Thomas Piggott is currently the Medical Officer of Health and Chief Executive Officer of Peterborough Public Health in Peterborough, Ontario , having p reviously served as the Medical Officer of Health and VP lead for Population Health and Rural and Remote Health in northern Labrador. In addition to completi ng of his residency in Public Health and Preventive Medicine , he also complete d his Masters in Public Health at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine a nd h is PhD in Health Research Methods at McMaster University .

Join host Jillian Horton, MD, FRCPC as she speaks with Nazik Hammad , MD, FRCPC about her own journey from Sudan to Canada as an International Medical Graduate (IMG) including the joys , barriers and resilienc e needed when learn ing and practic ing in a new country . Dr. Hammad also speaks of her work in health equity as well as equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging from the point of view of medical education and systems design. Royal College members: you can earn MOC Section 2 - Individual Learning credits for watching this video . Dr. Nazik Hammad is a Professor in the Division of Hematology-Oncology at St. Michael's Hospital and is a member of the Division of Medical Oncology in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto . She also serves as co-chair of the Black Physicians Association of Ontario's Network for Advancing Medical Learners (N-ABL). Dr. Hammad has a n interest in medical education , in particular health professions educ a tion in low and middle-income countries . She is a visiting profess or at the University of Nairobi, Kenya and teaches at the Clinical Oncology Training Program in Khartoum, Sudan .

Join host Jillian Horton, MD, FRCPC as she speaks with P . Ronan O'Connell , MD, FRC S C (Hon) about the importance of mentorship for surgeons -in-training and early career physicians. They also touch on the experience of bearing witness to change s in medicine throughout his career , as well as insights about the future of medical practice for physicians and surgeons. Royal College members: you can earn 0.5 MOC Section 2 credits for watching this video . L ook forward to more credits as you apply reflections to the issues brought forward by Professor O'Connell . Prof essor O'Connell is Emeritus Professor of Surgery at University College Dublin and former president of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI). In recent years, Prof. O'Connell led the creation of the RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, making the College a degree-granting organization. He was instrumental in developing a strategy to reduce the incidence of obstetrical injury to the pelvic floor and is an expert in the surgical treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer – a technically challenging area of surgical oncology. In September 2023, Professor O'Connell became an Honorary Fellow in the Division of Surgery of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Join host Jillian Horton, MD, FRCPC as she speaks with Jamiu Busari, MD, FRCSC (Hon) about his career path in medicine and his passion for the science of teaching in medical education. They also discuss Dr. Busari's approach and work in the equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) space. Royal College members: you can earn 0.5 MOC Section 2 credits for watching this video. Look forward to more credits as you apply reflections to the issues brought forward by Dr. Busari. Dr. Jamiu Busari is a pediatrician and dean at Horacio Oduber Hospital in Aruba. He is widely recognized for unwavering leadership in health care and advancing equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). He is a founding investigator with the Equity in Health System (EqHS) Lab, a transdisciplinary team working to address racism, discrimination, and social injustice in the health system; and a founding member and director of the lab's international series, Critical Dialogues for Action (CDFA), a monthly dialogue on EDI that focuses on identifying practical steps to bring about meaningful change. In September 2023, Dr. Busari became an Honorary Fellow in the Division of Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Join host Jillian Horton, MD, FRCPC as she speaks with Jan Christilaw , MD, FRC S C about an impactful experience in her formative years influenced her approach to medicine : "What we need in medicine is not brilliant people, it's human people . " . The ir conversation also touches on the importance of having interests outside of medicine to enable physicians to see themselves in the context of their whole lives and not solely through the lens of their practice . Royal College members: you can earn 0.5 MOC Section 2 credits for watching this video . L ook forward to more credits as you apply reflections to the issues brought forward by Dr. Christilaw . Dr. Jan Christilaw is an Obstetrician-Gynecologist who practiced in White Rock-Surrey, British Columbia for over 20 years. She served as President of BC Wo men's Hospital and Health Centre from 2008 to 2017 and , as of 2017, was appointed to the Order of Canada for her work in obstetrics nationally and internationally . She is a Clinical Professor in the Fac ulty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia and serves as the Director of Women's Health with the Canadian Network for International Surgery, an organization that aims to improve health and safety through capacity building and skills training in low-income countries .

Join host Jillian Horton, MD, FRCPC as she speaks with Garry Willard, MD, FRCPC about the extraordinary experience of practicing medicine in a war zone during the Vietnam War and how it forever shaped his world view and identity as a clinician. They also discuss Dr. Willard's recollections as a battlefield surgeon and the similarities of the COVID pandemic on healthcare professions to battles of the past. Royal College members: you can earn 0.5 MOC Section 2 credits for watching this video. Look forward to more credits as you apply reflections to the issues brought forward by Dr. Willard. Trained as a general surgeon, Dr. Garry Willard also practiced vascular and trauma surgery during his career. He holds a Royal College Fellowship from Edinburgh, Scotland, and is a Fellow of both the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the International College of Surgeons (FICS). Among other professional associations, he is a Life Member of the Ontario Medical Association and the New York Academy of Science. He was a Founding Member of the American Trauma Society.

Join host Jillian Horton, MD, FRCPC as she speaks with Cornelia (Nel) Wieman, MSc, MD, about the importance of changing the physician mindset to accept that when you are sick, you "can't fix it yourself", and you can seek help to begin the journey of healing. They also discussed the structural barriers facing physicians when reentering practice after treatment for their illness. Royal College members: you can earn 0.5 MOC Section 2 credits for watching this video. Look forward to more credits as you apply reflections to the issues brought forward by Dr. Wieman. Dr. Nel Wieman is a Psychiatrist and the Acting Chief Medical Officer at First Nations Health Authority (FNHA), the first and only provincial First Nations health authority in Canada. The FNHA works with British Columbia First Nations, government partners and others to improve health outcomes for BC First Nations people.

Join host Jillian Horton, MD, FRCPC, as she speaks with two physicians about their shared journey of organ donation: one as a living donor and the other as the recipient. Listen to their story about when the healer became the patient and the deliberations of a colleague who decided to donate the life-saving organ. Royal College members: you can earn 0.5 MOC Section 2 credits for watching this video. Look forward to more credits as you apply reflections to the issues brought forward by Dr. Faughnan and Dr. Stewart. Dr. Marie Faughnan is a Respirologist and Associate Scientist at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto. Dr. Robert Stewart is a Urologist and a kidney transplant surgeon at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto. Dr. Faughnan and Dr. Stewart are Associate Professors at the University of Toronto.

Host Jillian Horton, MD, FRCPC and guest Mamta Gautam, MD, FRCPC reflect upon the insights shared by the four Fellows featured in the four-episode special series, Finding a way back to balance: Wisdom from physician artists. Together Jillian and Mamta explore common themes such as the challenges facing women in medicine, the contribution of the arts and humanities to patient care, as well as the importance of nurturing art for personal and professional wellbeing. Royal College members: you can earn 0.5 MOC Section 2 credits for listening to this podcast. Look forward to more credits as you apply reflections to the issues brought forward by Dr. Gautam. Dr. Mamta Gautam is an internationally renowned psychiatrist, consultant, certified coach, author and speaker. A pioneer in physician health and well-being since 1990, she is known as the "The Doctor's Doctor". Dr. Gautam is President and CEO of PEAK MD, a company that focuses on enhancing Leadership Development and Leadership Resilience.

In the final episode of a special series entitled, Finding a way back to balance: Wisdom from physician artists, host Jillian Horton, MD, FRCPC speaks with two physicians about their artistic interests. In the first interview, Dr. Lucie Filteau shares how her Lego building hobby transitioned from a creative way to connect with family into a mindful and restorative activity for her own well-being. In the second interview, Dr. Claude Mercier explains how his passion for jazz music and the tenor saxophone enable him to relieve the everyday pressures of medicine and safeguard his mental health. Royal College members: you can earn 0.5 MOC Section 2 credits for listening to this podcast. Look forward to more credits as you apply reflections to the issues brought forward by Dr. Filteau and Dr. Mercier. Dr. Lucie Filteau is an anesthesiologist at The Ottawa Hospital and currently serves as the President of the Canadian Anesthesiologists Society. Dr. Claude Mercier is a pediatric neurosurgeon and Clinical Associate Professor in the Departments of Surgery and Neurosciences at the Université de Montréal.

In the second episode of a special series entitled, Finding a way back to balance: Wisdom from physician artists, host Jillian Horton, MD, FRCPC speaks with Penelope Rampersad, MD, FRCPC, about her lifelong pursuit of artistry through dance. Together they explore the importance of nurturing interests outside of medicine and creating healthy boundaries to be able to pursue them. The discussion also touches on inclusivity: challenges within medical systems and actions to create fair environments. Lastly, they talk about the experiences of burnout and its impact on physicians, patients and institutions. Royal College members: you can earn 0.5 MOC Section 2 credits for listening to this podcast. Look forward to more credits as you apply reflections to the issues brought forward by Dr. Rampersad. Dr. Rampersad is a critical care cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio. A student of dance since childhood, she later trained with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre in New York and contemplated a career as a professional dancer while concurrently attending medical school.

In the first episode of a special series entitled, Finding a way back to balance: Wisdom from physician artists, host Jillian Horton, MD, FRCPC speaks with Anne Hennessy, MD, FRCPC, about her passion for painting. Together they discuss the importance of self-care and (re)discovery of one's human side through play that physicians can often set aside. They also explore being mindful to create space for a pursuit that brings joy so that in times of struggle or great difficulty, physicians can find their way "back to balance." Dr. Hennessy is a community-based psychiatrist and consultant to Psychogeriatric Outreach at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre in Ottawa. She is a clinical lecturer with the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Ottawa and teaches mindfulness-based coping to caregivers who have partners with dementia. Royal College members: you can earn 0.5 MOC Section 2 credits for listening to this podcast. Look forward to more credits as you apply reflections to the issues brought forward by Anne.

Dr. Dagnone is an attending physician in the Emergency Room with Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) and is an associate professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Queen's University. He was the lead applicant for a transformative Fundamental Innovations in Residency Education (FIRE) proposal, which saw the concurrent launch of 29 postgraduate specialty programs to competency-based curriculums. Dr. Dagnone is also the author of Finding Our Way Home: A family's story of life, love, and loss. Special note to viewers: this interview was recorded prior to Dr. Dagnone accepting a position with the Royal College as the Director, Standards and Accreditation. Viewer discretion is advised.

Host Jillian Horton, MD, FRCPC speaks with Jane Philpott, MD, CCFP about how professional and personal life experiences shape our responses to clinical situations, about moral courage when faced with life's challenges, and about how to have meaningful impact through advocacy. New for Royal College members: Conversations with Jillian now contributes to your learning! Learn how. https://bit.ly/3Dn9EqG Dr. Philpott is an accomplished family physician, educator, and global health champion. She is a former Member of Parliament and served as Minister of Health for the Government of Canada. Prior to her work in politics, Dr. Philpott practised as a family doctor for 30 years and spent the first decade of her career in Niger, West Africa. She was appointed dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and director of the School of Medicine at Queen's University in July 2020. Viewer discretion is advised.

Host Jillian Horton, MD, FRCPC speaks with Allan Peterkin, MD, FRCPC about his lived experience as a gay physician and work with the LGBTQ2S community as well as his perspective on the evolution of physician health and finding happiness as healers. Dr. Peterkin is the author of 14 books for adults on medical humanities, cultural history, narrative-based medicine, human sexuality and physician wellness, including "Staying Human During Residency Training-How to Survive and Thrive After Medical School" (7th edition). He is a founding editor of ARS MEDICA: A Journal of Medicine, The Arts and Humanities, co-founded the first Canadian medical humanities meeting called "Creating Space" and helped found the Canadian Association for Health Humanities: https://www.cahh.ca/ Viewer discretion is advised.