2.8K
Downloads
23
Episodes
The Mindful Medical Learner initiative interviews physicians across the field about mindfulness and how it relates to their practice. Unique experts, course leaders, and mindfulness advocates - we’re bringing them all to our circle! We are a team of medical learners who have come together to offer meditation and mindfulness-based resources to our colleagues – created by learners, for learners. This initiative is being done in collaboration with the McGill WELL Office, which seeks to support learners throughout their training by creating, promoting and sustaining a culture of wellness and resilience. Research shows that mindfulness-based practices can be hugely beneficial for mental well-being. This is particularly pertinent for medical trainees who are consistently operating in high-stress environments. We hope to create a community around mindfulness and meditation and promote awareness about the role that it can play on both a personal and professional level.
Episodes
Sunday Apr 06, 2025
Sunday Apr 06, 2025
Dr. Victor Do is a staff hospital paediatrician at Stollery Children's Hospital and a current co-chair of the Culture of Academic Medicine Initiative. In this episode, we discuss how the Culture of Academic Medicine Initiative is working to create a culture of health, wellbeing, compassion, respect, safety, and self-care in Canadian Medical Institutions, and where mindfulness can fit into this initiative!
In this podcast we discuss:
1:53 - Dr. Do's path to medicine, paediatrics, and equity work.
3:58 - The beginning of the Culture of Academic Medicine Initiative.
6:57 - Adapting the Okanagan Charter to medical education.
9:47 - Aspects of the historical and current culture of medicine that Dr. Do would like to see changed (discussion of burnout, discrimination, and health-promoting learning environments).
13:59 - Why is personal wellness important in medicine?
15:07 - The importance of personal growth in medical training.
17:57 - Mindfulness in medicine; what it means to Dr. Do.
22:30 - What does it mean to be resilient?
27:15 - Closing Thoughts + How do get in contact with CAMI if you're interested in learning more or helping with their initiatives.
Website: https://cami-icmu.ca/
Email: cami@afmc.ca
Saturday Jun 29, 2024
Saturday Jun 29, 2024
Dr. Kaffash will begin his career in July 2024 as a rural family physician in the James Bay territory. He recently completed his residency in family medicine at McGill University. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from Concordia University and a medical degree from McGill University’s class of 2022. Outside of medicine, Dr. Kaffash is interested in fitness, martial arts, and podcasts (lucky us!)
In this podcast we discuss:
2:50 - Arshi’s path to rural family medicine
4:56 - Arshi explains the ease and sense of community in the rural environment
6:27 - Arshi recounts a day in the life as a medical learner in James Bay
9:15 - Some downsides of a rural practice: seclusion and distance from loved ones
11:04 - The clinical challenges of working in a remote indigenous community
12:30 - The unique sense of support between healthcare staff in James Bay
15:25 - Weaving together western medicine and culturally sensitive care
19:00 - Arshi describes the continuous state of learning in rural medicine
20:40 - Palliative care in rural medicine
21:48 - Goosebreak, a Cree holiday for going out on the land to hunt, and other cultural practices
24:08 - Arshi shares some of his favorite formal mindfulness practices
28:54 - How rural family medicine incorporates informal mindfulness principles into practice, and the power of walking to work
31:23 - Advice for medical students - do a rural rotation!
Saturday Apr 06, 2024
Saturday Apr 06, 2024
Dr. Phoebe Friesen is a philosopher and medical ethicist working within the Department of Equity, Ethics and Policy in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at McGill University. We talk about her research and thoughts within the realms of the placebo effect and female pelvic examinations under anesthesia.
In this podcast we discuss:
0:40 – Introducing Dr. Friesen.
1:35 – How she reached the career landscape she is in now.
2:49 – Defining social studies of medicine and medical ethics.
4:29 – Overlap between mindfulness and social studies of medicine.
10:49 – The placebo effect in medical school curriculums.
16:00 – Describing the open label placebo.
19:35 – Discussing the meaning response.
22:36 – Discussing Dr. Friesen’s research in female pelvic examinations under anesthesia.
25:39 – Canadian guidelines on the practice.
27:35 – The practice within medical education.
41:57 – Closing thoughts.
Sunday Dec 10, 2023
Sunday Dec 10, 2023
In this episode we are joined by Dr. Preetha Krishnamoorthy, a staff in the Division of Pediatric Endocrinology at the Montreal Children’s Hospital since 2003. Dr. Krishnamoorthy is heavily involved in medical education at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. She is also the Director of Pediatric Undergraduate Education at McGill. We talk about her strategies in finding a professional relationship with patients and their families as well as how she exemplifies and discusses healthy life habits with them.
1:03 – Introducing Dr. Krishnamoorthy by exploring her interests.
2:00 – How her relationship with physical activity has changed over the years.
4:30 – Accountability with physical activity.
5:38 – Balancing commitments in resident and attending life.
7:18 – Dr. Krishnamoorthy’s involvement with physical activity and how it relates to her role as a pediatric endocrinologist.
9:20 – Exemplifying and discussing healthy life habits with patients.
12:35 – Nutrition and body image within patient care.
14:32 – Strategies on approaching conversation around making lifestyle changes with pediatric patients.
16:22 – Reflecting on the parallels between her role with patients and with medical learners.
17:32 – Relationships with patients and parents of patients and setting boundaries.
24:35 – Managing challenges within these relationships.
26:45 – Incorporating medical teaching into her career.
32:35 – Dr. Krishnamoorthy’s future goals.
35:48 – Strategies in managing her many roles and closing thoughts.
Monday Mar 06, 2023
Monday Mar 06, 2023
Dr. Asli Buyukkurt is a fourth year resident in Neurology at McGill. Dr. Buyukkurt completed a B.Sc. in neuroscience and went on to pursue her medical training at McGill University. She has a profound interest in medical education. In addition to acting as the co-chief resident in Adult Neurology, Dr. Buyukkurt lectures and leads group discussions in the Faculty of Medicine. She has also been involved in the CaRMS selection process, and discusses her experiences, both as an applicant and as a reviewer in this episode of our podcast. Beyond medicine, Dr. Buyukkurt is a tap, jazz, and hip-hop dancer and a paint-by-number enthusiast.
Thursday Dec 15, 2022
Thursday Dec 15, 2022
Dr. Singh-Saluja is an Emergency Physician at the McGill University Health Centre. He completed his undergraduate medical training at McGill and went on to complete his residency in Family Medicine with additional training in Emergency Medicine at McGill. To date, his work has varied from time in the Intensive Care Unit, practicing Northern Medicine in Puvirnituq and work in sports medicine. As a former chief of Emergency Medicine, he continues to be heavily involved in residency training at McGill.
More recently, Dr. Singh has become involved in administration of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID), forming the basis of our conversation in this podcast. Outside of medicine, Dr. Singh-Saluja is a lover of sports including soccer, football and kayaking, an avid gym goer and passionate about spending time with his family.
Monday Oct 10, 2022
Monday Oct 10, 2022
Madison Le Gallee is a first year Family Medicine resident at McGill and practices at Saint Mary’s Hospital in Montreal, QC. Madison completed her undergraduate medical degree at McGill. She has a soft spot for matcha lattes and fall hikes, and enjoys folding origami and finishing novels after hours. Madison also has a special interest in mental wellness initiatives and skin health. Gray Meckling is a second year psychiatry resident at the University of Ottawa. He completed his undergraduate medical degree at the University of Toronto after completing a Bachelor of Science at the University of British Columbia. He is passionate about mental health and meditation.
Sunday Jun 05, 2022
Sunday Jun 05, 2022
Dr. Sanders is a Family Doctor and the chair of Palliative Medicine at McGill University. In this episode of the podcast we discuss the various decision points in his life and how they have influenced his career and outlook today. We talk about challenges and failures, and how these can be viewed constructively. Dr. Sanders shares advice he has received during his career and we talk about promoting a culture of wellness in medicine.
Wednesday Mar 30, 2022
Wednesday Mar 30, 2022
In this episode, we take a deep dive into the compatibility of spiritual practice and striving professionally and the role of work in one's life (and when it can become pathological). We also explore mindfulness and deep meditative states that can be achieved on retreat. Dr. Soham Rej invites us to critically reflect on the role of physicians as healers, and whether our modern understanding of the profession is compatible with its original intention. Tune in to hear more of this fascinating conversation with Dr. Soham Rej.
Dr. Soham Rej is a Geriatric Psychiatrist and Assistant Professor at the Jewish General Hospital/Lady Davis Institute at McGill University. He completed medical school and his residency training at McGill, and then went on to do a geriatric psychiatry clinical and research fellowship at the University of Toronto. He currently runs a lab doing research in three areas including the use of AI, mind body interventions (like mindfulness and yoga) and psychedelic assisted therapy for improving mood, anxiety and cognitive disorders in older adults.
Wednesday Jan 19, 2022
Wednesday Jan 19, 2022
Dr. Sabina Freiman is a Vancouver-based Internal Medicine resident who originally completed her medical education at the University of Toronto. She has experience in the mentorship and guidance of medical students and currently co-chairs the residency wellness committee at UBC. In this podcast we discuss common challenges during training and some useful strategies to overcome them.