CMAJ Podcasts

In this interview, professors Heather MacDougall and Laurence Monnais discuss perceptions, apathy and opposition around vaccination. Specifically, they take a look at the factors underpinning low uptake of measles vaccine in the 1960s, 70s, 80s and 90s, decades before the infamous Wakefield autism article. Heather MacDougall is an associate professor at the University of Waterloo where she special...

Sylvia Nickerson, an artist in Hamilton, Ontario, reads her article called "Seeking graphic medicine narratives." In the article, Dr. Nickerson explains how graphic medicine can probe the emotional, moral and human aspects of medicine. Her Humanities Encounters article is published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. Full article: www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.171318------...

In this podcast, Prof. Natalie Riediger and Prof. Andrea Bombak discuss their analysis article published in the CMAJ that looks at a proposed tax on sugar-sweetened beverages through a social justice lens. A sugar tax could have unintended detrimental effects for certain vulnerable populations if not implemented properly. Dr. Riediger is an assistant professor in the Department of Community Health...

Dr. Ryan Giroux, a resident in pediatrics at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, reads his article called "Bannock as medicine." In the article, Dr. Giroux shares how an encounter with a First Nations patient allowed him to ponder his own identity as a Métis physician. His Humanities Encounters article is published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. Full article: www.cma...

Dr. Samina Ali, a pediatric emergency physician in Edmonton, Alberta, reads her article called "A note to Aaron." In the article, Dr. Ali shares the story of one particular child, Aaron Fortier. The story is true. Her Humanities Encounters article is published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. Full article: www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.171182----------------------------...

Dre Julie Bruneau et Dre Marie-Ève Goyer nous expliquent les recommandations clé de nouvelles lignes directrices sur la prise en charge clinique du trouble lié à l'usage d'opioïdes. Elles sont deux des auteures des lignes directrices publiées dans le Journal de l'Association médicale canadienne. Dre Bruneau est médecin-chercheur au CHUM en médecine des toxicomanies et Dre Goyer est...

In this podcast, Dr. Evan Wood and Dr. Keith Ahamad discuss the new guideline on management of opioid use disorder published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. Dr. Wood and Dr. Ahamad are two specialists who work in the thick of the opioid crisis. They are also two of the authors of the guideline. They discuss the recommendations on how to treat opioid addiction and they offer insight in...

Koray Demir reads his article called "In the closet, again." In the article, Mr. Demir shares his struggles with internalized homophobia which surface while working with a patient dying of AIDS.Mr. Demir is part of the McGill Medical School graduating class of 2018. His Humanities Encounters article is published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. Full article: www.cmaj.ca/looku...

Repeat concussion, traumatic encephalopathy, head injury, brain damage. These are hot topics, especially in the world of contact sports. While there has been a recent increased awareness of the long-term effects of repeat head injury, our modern understanding may not be that different from what was already known by the 1950sIn this interview, Prof. Stephen Casper, discusses fascinating points in h...

Genetic testing technology has advanced rapidly and it is becoming more affordable to perform whole genome sequencing. Whole genome sequencing can reveal heritable conditions and predispositions to disease. In this interview, Professor Steve Scherer discusses the findings from the initial cohort of 56 Canadian volunteers who had their whole genome sequenced for the Personal Genome Project Canada....

Neonatal care has improved greatly in recent years. As an unintended consequence of these advances, more babies born with malformations such as congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) survive and with more severe malformations than in the past. Dr. Pramod Puligandla discusses a new clinical practice guideline on diagnosis and management of CDH. Dr. Puligandla is a Professor of Paediatric Surgery, Pa...

Dr. Phillip Gregoire reads his article called "Late night decisions." In the article, Dr. Gregoire reflects on the term "code status" and how best to talk to patients about its meaning. Dr. Gregoire is a first year internal medicine resident at the University of Toronto. His article is published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. Full article: www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/1...

In this interview, Dr. Shannon Ruzycki discusses the problem of physician burnout. She offers practical advice to help physicians recognize it in themselves and in their colleagues. She also discusses strategies to cope and to prevent the problem in the first place. Dr. Ruzycki is a general internal medicine fellow at the University of Calgary. She co-authored a Practice article published in CMAJ...

In this interview, we hear from three of the authors of a prospective cohort study on childhood peer victimization and its effect on mental health during adolescence. They discuss the findings and offer practical advice on how to address and prevent bullying and victimization at home, in schools and from a physician's perspective. Dr. Marie-Claude Geoffroy is a clinical psychologist at the Do...

In this interview, Dr. Sachin Pendharkar describes for listeners the signs and symptoms of chronic obstructive sleep apnea, treatment options, and the dangers of going undiagnosed. Dr. Sachin Pendharkar is a sleep and respiratory physician at the Foothill Medical Centre Sleep Centre and Associate Professor of Medicine and Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary. He co-authored a rev...

In this interview, Dr. Darrell Tan takes listeners through the new Canadian guideline on HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis and nonoccupational postexposure prophylaxis. He offers practical clinical guidance for front-line health workers. Dr. Darrell Tan is an infectious diseases physician and clinician–scientist at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. He is also co-leader of the Biomedical HIV Prevention...

Dr. Sarah Stumbar reads her article called "For the world to see Ana." Ana is a refugee living in the United States who represents countless others who are sick and must navigate life with no health insurance. The story is true. Dr. Stumbar is a family physician and assistant professor of family medicine in the Department of Humanities, Health, and Society at Florida International Univer...

In his article, Dr. Peter Clement Duffy, relives a very busy night in the emergency department that challenged the “Two-Solitudes” mentality in Montréal. The story is true, but pertinent details have been changed to protect the patients’ and health care workers’ identities. Dr. Duffy's article, titled "Saturday night at St. Mary's", was published in CMAJ. The story is read by D...

Dr. John D. McLennan reads his article called "Johnny, how did you end up on five psychotropic medications?", which was published in CMAJ.In the article, Dr. McLennan shares the story of Johnny, who is not a real patient, but rather a composite of many autistic patients he has encountered over the years. Dr. McLennan is a child psychiatry consultant at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern...

In this interview, Dr. David Juurlink discusses the ongoing opioid crisis. He explains why physicians must pay attention to one particular group of patients: those on long-term opioid therapy for chronic pain. Dr. David Juurlink is staff internist and head of the division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, and a scientist at the Institute for Clinical Eva...

In his article, Dr. Sterling Haynes, a retired GP who lives in Kelowna, British Columbia, recounts the time when he came to the rescue of a friend in a retirement home. The story is true and consent has been obtained. All names have been changed. His article, titled "Always on call", was published in CMAJ. The story is read by Dr. Ken Flegel, senior editor for CMAJ.Full article: www.cmaj...

In this interview, Dr. Thara Kumar and Dr. Hans Rosenberg tell us about take-home naloxone kits used for opioid overdose. They discuss how to use them, where to get them, how they work, and more. They offer practical guidance to physicians in Canada and also include tips for the general public. Dr. Thara Kumar is an emergency medicine resident in her fifth and final year of training at the Univers...

In this interview, Dr. Paul Kurdyak explains the results of research on mortality trends in individuals with schizophrenia over a period of 20 years. Dr. Kurdyak and his co-authors published a study in CMAJ and found that in Ontario, people with schizophrenia still live shorter lives than those without psychiatric illness. He discusses what might be at the root of this shorter life expectancy. Dr....

In this interview, Dr. Harminder Singh takes listeners through the new Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care (CTFPHC) guideline on screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm, or AAA. He explains each of the recommendations and the evidence behind them. Dr. Harminder Singh is associate professor of medicine in the departments of Internal Medicine and Community Health Sciences at the University...

In this interview, Dr. Jennie Johnstone tells us about a strain of gram-negative bacteria called carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) that is resistant to most antibiotics. She also discusses what the public and the health care system can do to help prevent the spread of drug-resistant organisms. Dr. Johnstone is infection prevention and control physician-scientist at Public Health Ont...