Cmaj Podcasts

Send us a textThe CMAJ podcast is taking a break for one episode as everyone enjoys their holidays and gets prepared for the year ahead. In this brief chat, Mojola and Blair preview some of the upcoming episodes and wish all our listeners a happy and safe holiday.Join us as we explore medical solutions that address the urgent need to change healthcare. Reach out to us about this or any episode you hear. Or tell us about something you'd like to hear on the leading Canadian medical podcast.You can find Blair and Mojola on X @BlairBigham and @DrmojolaomoleX (in English): @CMAJ X (en français): @JAMC FacebookInstagram: @CMAJ.ca The CMAJ Podcast is produced by PodCraft Productions

Send us a textOne simple question can offer clinicians a powerful insight into the lives of their vulnerable patients. Asking, “Do you ever have trouble making ends meet at the end of the month” can help physicians identify significant barriers to restoring the health of their patients.The link between the social conditions in which we live and health outcomes is well-known. However, health provider action to address the social determinants of health is an emerging area of practice innovation and research. This episode looks at what social prescribing looks like in action and what the evidence tells us about its effectiveness.Drs. Mojola Omole and Blair Bigham speak with Janet Rodriguez, a patient at St. Michael’s Family Health Care Clinic in Toronto. She describes the profound impact social interventions had on her physical and mental health.  They also speak with Dr. Gary Bloch, a family physician at St. Michael’s Family Health Care Clinic and a co-author of the analysis published in CMAJ titled “An Evidenc

Send us a textThe pandemic recovery period presents an opportunity to address health inequities that have led to an unfair distribution of the burden and harms of COVID-19. New guidance for policy published in CMAJ  proposes 13 practical ways to address inequities exposed and worsened by COVID-19 in the pandemic recovery period, based on evidence that was accumulating before the pandemic.In this special episode of the podcast, CMAJ interim editor-in-chief Dr. Kirsten Patrick talks to Dr. Nav Persaud, lead author on the new guideline, about its genesis, the evidence underpinning its recommendations, and the importance of positioning equity at the centre of policy-making as Canada emerges from the pandemic.Join us as we explore medical solutions that address the urgent need to change healthcare. Reach out to us about this or any episode you hear. Or tell us about something you'd like to hear on the leading Canadian medical podcast.You can find Blair and Mojola on X @BlairBigham and @DrmojolaomoleX (in Engl

Send us a textPain is one of the most common complaints among patients visiting the ER, and pain management has become a quality of care indicator. But the options available for the treatment of acute pain that isn’t controlled by over-the-counter medications are limited. With the opioid epidemic leading physicians to avoid prescribing narcotics, the anaesthetic drug, ketamine, is being reconsidered for the treatment of pain, as well as other indications. A practice article  in CMAJ argues that ketamine is an underutilized and effective analgesic and a safer alternative to opioids for the management of acute pain, with reported adverse effects at low doses occurring at the same frequency as placebo. In this episode, Blair and Mojola speak to Dr. William Silverstein, a co-author of the practice article “Five things to know about the use of ketamine in the treatment of acute pain” about ketamine’s indications and contraindications, how to prescribe it in the ambulatory care setting, and practical steps physicia

Send us a textOne in four women physicians report a diagnosis of infertility. One reason for this is physicians tend to delay attempts to become pregnant until “the time is right” for their career.  But, in the medical profession, it seems there is really no “good” time to have children. Parenthood, especially motherhood, is seen as an inconvenience during medical training and beyond. In this episode, Dr. Sophia Park speaks with hosts Dr. Mojola Omole and Dr. Blair Bigham about her personal struggle with infertility. And, Dr. Andrea Simpson, the lead author of a commentary in the CMAJ titled, “The inconvenience of motherhood during a medical career”  calls for systemic change in medicine to support parenthood.Dr. Sophia Park is a medical biochemist at Royal Columbian Hospital and a Clinical Associate Professor at the UBC Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.Dr. Andrea Simpson is an obstetrician and minimally invasive gynaecologic surgeon at St. Michael’s Hospital. She is also an assistant professor

Send us a textButton batteries, sometimes called coin batteries, are small round batteries that power various electronic devices such as watches, remote controls or small kid toys. They are small and shiny, which is why young children will sometimes grab them and put them in their mouths. But they can cause severe injury in a child if the button battery becomes lodged in the digestive tract. In this episode, Dr. Savithiri Ratnapalan talks about the dangers of swallowing button batteries, what parents can do immediately at home, and how button battery ingestion is managed in hospital.Dr. Savithiri Ratnapalan is a pediatric emergency physician at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. She co-authored a practice article with Dr. Amy Zipursky. It is published in CMAJ: https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.210572Podcast transcript: https://www.cmaj.ca/transcript-210572-----------------------------------This podcast episode is brought to you by Scotiabank Healthcare+. Learn more at: https://mdm.ca/promos/

Send us a textArtificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have transformed our lives. The adoption of AI in medicine has perhaps lagged its adoption in other areas, and machine learning in healthcare has had mixed results. In this episode, Drs. Muhammad Mamdani and Amol Verma discuss a series of three CMAJ articles on the development, use, misuse, and evaluation of machine-learned models in medicine. Dr. Muhammad Mamdani is vice-president of data science and advanced analytics at Unity Health Toronto, director of the Temerty Center for Artificial Intelligence Education and Research in Medicine, and professor at the University of Toronto. Dr. Amol Verma is a physician and scientist at St. Michael's Hospital and the University of Toronto, an AMS healthcare fellow in compassion and artificial intelligence and a provincial clinical lead in health quality improvement with Ontario Health. They are both two of the authors of the articles series published in CMAJ: Implementing machine learning in medi

Send us a textMany options exist nowadays for teenagers choosing to be on hormonal contraceptives. They are generally categorized into SARCs (short-acting reversible contraceptives) and LARCs (long-acting reversible contraceptives). LARC methods are recommended as first-line contraceptives. These include intrauterine devices and a new option that gets implanted into the arm and lasts up to three years.In this episode, Dr. Margot Rosenthal, a fifth-year obstetrics and gynaecology resident, explains the different contraception options, which choice is best, and what side effects to watch out for.She co-authored a practice article with Dr. Sarah McQuillan. The article is published in CMAJ: https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.202413Podcast transcript: https://www.cmaj.ca/transcript-202413Calling all aspiring podcasters! Are you our next podcast host? CMAJ seeks a curious, astute and dynamic Canadian physician as the new voice of CMAJ Podcasts. For details and to apply:https://www.cmaj.ca/content/cmaj-podc

Send us a textIn this episode, Dr. Kirsten Patrick, interim editor-in-chief, chats with Francine Buchanan about her experience as a patient partner. Francine is in a unique position at the intersection of caregiver for her medically fragile son, PhD candidate in health services research, and a patient and family advisor at The Hospital for Sick Children. She wrote a Humanities article published in CMAJ called "How are we going to do this?" https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.210457Dr. Kirsten Patrick also chats with Victoria Saigle, Lead of Patient Involvement at CMAJ. Victoria shares the different ways patients have been contributing to the journal in recent months and plans for the future.CMAJ is launching a new article type called 360 Cases. CMAJ's first 360 Case explores the end of life of a woman who passed away suddenly after an unexpected serious diagnosis. The article is co-written by the woman's husband, her social worker, one of her nurses and the ICU physician who treat

Send us a textNew research shows that Indigenous People living in rural Canada are 16 times more likely to have to travel long distances to give birth compared to non-Indigenous people living in rural areas. In this podcast, Dr. Janet Smylie and Evelyn George explain these striking findings.Dr. Janet Smylie is Métis-Cree, a family practitioner and professor of public health at the University of Toronto. Evelyn George is a Nbissing registered midwife living in Syilx territory of British Columbia.They were two of the authors of a research article published in CMAJ:www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.201903Podcast transcript: www.cmaj.ca/transcript-201903-----------------------------------This podcast episode is brought to you by Shingrix. Learn more at:www.shingrix.ca/en-ca/index.html-----------------------------------This podcast episode is brought to you by Dr. Bill. Dr. Bill makes billing on the go easy and pain free. Start your 45-day free trial today: www.drbill.app/cmaj-----------------------------------L

Send us a textDr. Malika Sharma and Dr. Rahel Zewude explain the tenets of critical race theory. They also share how it has helped them tackle racism in the practice of medicine and how they've applied it to their professional and personal lives as physicians in Canada.Dr. Malika Sharma is an HIV and infectious diseases specialist and assistant professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto. Dr. Rahel Zewude is an internal medicine resident at the University of British Columbia and president of Black Physicians of British Columbia.They co-authored a humanities article published in CMAJ. Podcast transcript -----------------------------------This podcast episode is brought to you by Shingrix. Learn more at shingrix.ca-----------------------------------Subscribe to CMAJ Podcasts on Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast app. You can also follow us directly on our SoundCloud page or you can visit http://www.cmaj.ca/page/multimedia/podcasts Join us as we explore medical solutions that

Send us a textAnticraving medications are a lesser-known therapy for patients with moderate to severe alcohol use disorder. In this podcast, Dr. Jon Mong and Dr. Paxton Bach explain how to recognize and diagnose moderate to severe alcohol use disorder and how to talk to patients about treatment options.Dr. Jon Mong is a general internist working at The Ottawa Hospital, with a clinical focus in addiction medicine. He is currently completing his Masters in Quality Improvement and Patient Safety through the University of Toronto's IHPME.Dr. Paxton Bach is a clinical assistant professor in the department of medicine at the University of British Columbia, and a general internist and addiction physician at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, BC. He additionally serves as the program director for the British Columbia Centre on Substance Use Clinical Addiction Medicine Fellowship Program.They co-authored, along with Dr. Keith Ahamad, a practice article published in CMAJ:www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.200895Po

Send us a textDr. Olga Kciuk and Dr. Sari Kives talk about painful periods (dysmenorrhea) in teens – what causes it, how to diagnose it, how to rule out secondary causes, and how best to treat. Dr. Olga Kciuk is a fourth year resident in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Toronto. Dr. Sari Kives is a gynecologist in Toronto, both at the Hospital for Sick Children and St. Michael's Hospital.They co-authored a practice article published in CMAJ:www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.201972Podcast transcript: https://www.cmaj.ca/transcript-201972-----------------------------------This podcast episode is brought to you by Shingrix. Learn more at:www.shingrix.ca/en-ca/index.html-----------------------------------This podcast episode is brought to you by Audi Canada. The Canadian Medical Association has partnered with Audi Canada to offer CMA members a preferred incentive on select vehicle models. Purchase any new qualifying Audi model and receive an additional cash incentive based on the purchase typ

Send us a textDr. Ainsley Moore discusses a new guideline by the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care. The guideline recommends opportunistic screening for chlamydia and gonorrhea in primary care for individuals not known to be at high risk. Ainsley unpacks the recommendation and talks about what it means for clinical practice.Dr. Ainsley Moore is a family physician and an associate clinical professor in medicine at McMaster University.She is one of the authors of the CTFPHC guideline published in CMAJ:www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.201967Podcast transcript: https://www.cmaj.ca/transcript-201967-----------------------------------Subscribe to CMAJ Podcasts on Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast app. You can also follow us directly on our SoundCloud page or you can visit www.cmaj.ca/page/multimedia/podcasts.Join us as we explore medical solutions that address the urgent need to change healthcare. Reach out to us about this or any episode you hear. Or tell us about something you'd like to

Send us a textDre Guylène Thériault explique les recommandations clé des nouvelles lignes directrices sur dépistage de la chlamydia et de la gonorrhée en médecine de soins primaires chez les personnes non connues comme appartenant à un groupe à risque.Dre Guylène Thériault est médecin de famille et membre du Groupe d’étude canadien sur les soins de santé préventifs. Dre Thériault enseigne aussi la médecine fondée sur les données probantes et la prise de décision partagée.Le Groupe d’étude canadien sur les soins de santé préventifs vient de publier les nouvelles lignes directrices dans le Journal de l’association médicale canadienne.Lignes directrices : https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.201967-fTranscription de la conversation: https://www.cmaj.ca/transcript-201967-fJoin us as we explore medical solutions that address the urgent need to change healthcare. Reach out to us about this or any episode you hear. Or tell us about something you'd like to hear on the leading Canadian medical podcast.You

Send us a textProf. Jonathan Berman discusses what drives antivaccine and anti-mask protests, such as the Montréal vaccine protest of 1885 which turned violent. He talks about vaccine hesitancy in history and how it relates to our current COVID-19 pandemic.Jonathan Berman is a physiologist at the New York Institute of Technology medical school and a science educator.He wrote an humanities article published in CMAJ:www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.202820Podcast transcript: https://www.cmaj.ca/transcript-202820-----------------------------------This episode is brought to you by the MD Platinum Global Private Credit Pool. With bond yields sitting near record lows, investors are looking for ways to boost returns. The challenge? Most options offering higher returns often require taking on more equity risk. Enter private credit. Get access to potentially higher returns, historically tested stability and added diversification typically reserved for institutional investors. MD Platinum Global Private Credit Pool:

Send us a textProf. Andrea Tricco and Dr. Ainsley Moore discuss gender inequity in medicine at the senior leadership level and how it's intertwined with race. They also outline practical ways of advancing gender equity in medicine.Dr. Ainsley Moore is a family physician and an associate clinical professor in medicine at McMaster University. Prof. Andrea Tricco is a scientist at St. Michael's Hospital at Unity Health Toronto and an associate professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health in Toronto.They co-authored an analysis article published in CMAJ:www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.200951Podcast transcript: https://www.cmaj.ca/transcript-200951-----------------------------------This podcast episode is brought to you by Audi Canada. The Canadian Medical Association has partnered with Audi Canada to offer CMA members a preferred incentive on select vehicle models. Purchase any new qualifying Audi model and receive an additional cash incentive based on the purchase type. Details of the incent

Send us a textDrs Shirin Dason and Mara Sobel discuss how to diagnose and treat adenomyosis, a common cause of heavy and painful menstrual periods. Dr. Shirin Dason is a resident and soon-to-be infertility fellow at Mount Sinai Fertility in Toronto. Dr. Mara Sobel is a gynaecologist at Mount Sinai Hospital and Women's College Hospital in Toronto.To read the practice article published in CMAJ: www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.201607Podcast transcript: https://www.cmaj.ca/transcript-201607-----------------------------------This podcast episode is brought to you by Shingrix. Learn more at:www.shingrix.ca/en-ca/index.html-----------------------------------Subscribe to CMAJ Podcasts on Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast app. You can also follow us directly on our SoundCloud page or you can visit www.cmaj.ca/page/multimedia/podcasts.Join us as we explore medical solutions that address the urgent need to change healthcare. Reach out to us about this or any episode you hear. Or tell us about something y

Send us a textA prescribing cascade happens when the side effects of a prescribed drug are misinterpreted as a new medical condition for which an additional drug is prescribed. Some prescribing cascades can become complicated to untangle and hard to catch. In this podcast, Dr. Paula Rochon outlines some of the common prescribing cascades that occur in older adults.Dr. Paula Rochon is a geriatrician at Women’s College Hospital in Toronto and the RTO chair in geriatric medicine at the University of Toronto.The practice article she co-authored is published in CMAJ. It's titled "Five things to know about prescribing cascades in older adults."www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.201564Podcast transcript: https://www.cmaj.ca/transcript-201564-----------------------------------This podcast episode is brought to you by Audi Canada. The Canadian Medical Association has partnered with Audi Canada to offer CMA members a preferred incentive on select vehicle models. Purchase any new qualifying Audi model an

Send us a textIn this podcast, Dr. Andreas Laupacis, editor-in-chief of CMAJ, interviews two authors of a research article published in CMAJ. The research looked at SARS-CoV-2 infection among patients undergoing long-term dialysis in Ontario during the first wave of the pandemic.Rebecca Cooper is the director of clinical programs at the Ontario Renal Network, and Peter Blake is a nephrologist and the provincial medical director of the Ontario Renal Network, which is part of Ontario Health.To read the research published in CMAJ: www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.202601Podcast transcript: https://www.cmaj.ca/transcript-202601-----------------------------------This podcast episode is brought to you by Shingrix. Learn more at:www.shingrix.ca/en-ca/index.html-----------------------------------Subscribe to CMAJ Podcasts on Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast app. You can also follow us directly on our SoundCloud page or you can visit www.cmaj.ca/page/multimedia/podcasts.Join us as we explore medical solution