Family Planning for Docs - Thriving or Surviving?

“Make sure to constantly be checking in with yourself and taking care of yourself for the longevity of you” - Dr. Dawn ArmstrongIn this episode, we chat with Dr. Dawn Armstrong, a resident physician in the Department of Psychiatry at Dalhousie Medical School. We learn about her journey as a non-traditional medical student, being a mother to five children while also being in medical school, and nav...

“I’m just going to do what I can with what I have - which is a very engineering way to think” - Dr. Stephanie ChanIn this episode, we chat with Dr. Stephanie Chan, an ophthalmologist working in Ottawa, Canada. We learn about her journey having children as a resident and twins as a staff physician, the importance of compression socks in pregnancy and balancing personal life and career. We appreciat...

“Your family needs you to be well” - Dr. Pip HoughtonIn this episode, we chat with Dr. Pip Houghton, a rural family doctor and mother of 3. We talk about perinatal mental health, postpartum depression, transitioning from medical trainee to physician-parent and the importance of online communities. We appreciate your feedback - please leave a comment and subscribe so you never miss a new episode!--...

“This whole process, even with all the support, is very isolating. Having someone to talk to and having people around you is critical” - Dr. Tess FitzpatrickIn this episode, we chat with Dr. Tess Fitzpatrick, a neurologist working in the GTA. We learn about her journey with IVF, being pregnant and a full-time physician, and the importance of role modelling. We appreciate your feedback - please lea...

“Google Calendar becomes another member of the family” - Dr. Stephen In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Stephen, a family physician and palliative care doctor, about his experiences with family building. We chat about the importance of locum coverage as a staff physician, balancing fatherhood with medicine, daycare waitlists, and the ins and outs of paternity leave. We appreciate your feedback...

“Your children are only loaned to you, so use the time that you have with them” - Dr. Dionne Gesink In this episode, we sit down and talk to Dr. Dionne Gesink, a Professor in Epidemiology and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. We chat about her journey with family planning and family building as a doctorate and post-doc student. You’ll learn about how she...

“Do the things now, incorporate those changes into your life. Don't constantly be putting things off, waiting for a better time to come, because things only get more complicated as you go” - Dr. Andrea SimpsonIn this episode, we sit down and talk to Dr. Andrea Simpson, an obstetrician and minimally invasive gynaecologic surgeon, about her journey with family planning and family building during cli...

“The fact that I am a mom makes me a better doctor and the fact that I'm a physician helps me be a better mom in some ways” - Dr. Malika Sharma In this episode, we chat with Dr. Malika Sharma, an Infectious Disease specialist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto, about her journey with family planning and family building during residency and fellowship...

I once had a professor tell me: “It’s easy to forget to have children.” - Dr. Maxime BillickIn this episode, Radha chats with Dr. Maxime Billick, an Infectious Disease resident physician, and Dr. Joseph, a family physician, about their experiences with egg freezing. In this special episode, we talk about the financial aspects of egg freezing, the psychological challenges of the process and the pee...