Specialty Café

Welcome to the 5 th season of Specialty Café! We'll finish up the primary specialties and then delve into the many Royal College subspecialties. Do you believe in visualization? It seems that Talal Al-Atassi, MD, FRCSC did (and maybe still does!). At 5-years-old he crafted his own Cardiac Surgeon business cards and shared them with family and friends. Dr. Al-Atassi no doubt puts his heart (intende...

All roads do lead to Rome – apparently!   Specialty Café Live, Panel 3, delves into the incredibly unique journeys taken by each of these guests as they became Royal College specialists, and then the paths they took throughout their careers. Rural, remote, urban, and academic practices are addressed in detail.  Anesthesiology, Dr. Marie-Andrée Girard, FRCPC Psychiatry, Dr. Brian Hodges, FRCPC Gene...

Thanks for tuning into Panel 2 of Specialty Café Live. The theme of this episode is... flexibility ! Host Christina Toma delves into the truly rural, community, urban, and academic aspects of: ·        Obstetrics & Gynecology with Dr. Ren é e Soucy, FRCSC ·        Internal Medicine with Dr. Umberin Najeeb, FRCPC ·        Family Medicine with Dr. Andrew Thomas, CCFP Whether you are someone who like...

Join Christina Toma as she explores the joys and challenges of three very different specialties and three very different specialists too! Urology, Dr. Mazen Jundi, FRCSC Pediatrics, Dr. Ryan Giroux, FRCPC Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Dr. Alice Kam, FRCPC  Do you like expensive toys and lasers… and hammering things too? Or do you prefer to sit on the floor, be goofy and collaborate closely w...

Montana Hackett, President of the Canadian Federation of Medical Students (CFMS), gives a glimpse into the upcoming three Specialty Café Live episodes.   The Royal College gathered nine passionate specialists at the CFMS Spring Meeting in Quebec City (April 2023) to talk about their specialties: joys, challenges, work/life balance (yep – it's possible), career paths, rural and remote practice, and...

Are you passionate about women's health? Does the prospect of working in an environment full of exciting, difficult and unpredictable cases appeal to you? Do you see yourself in a specialty that is extremely broad with surgical and medical management? Danielle Stepnuk, MD (PGY3) can easily convince you that Obstetrics & Gynecology is an amazingly fulfilling specialty. Host Emily Wu and Dr. Stepnuk...

Do you see yourself as a surgeon serving patients from the cradle to the grave ? Does the idea of working on all parts of the body, including reconstruction and function – appeal to you? Settle into this episode as host Cameron Wong leaves no stone unturned with as he chats with Shane Seal, MD, FRCSC about his life as a Plastic Surgeon. Dr. Seal's path to Plastic Surgery wasn't straightforward but...

(Family Medicine is a specialty of the College of Family Physicians of Canada) Humanity - emotional beings - connection with patients – beauty in medicine - trust . Do these words, on their own, resonate with you? Listen on to this inspiring episode. Family Medicine might just be for you. Stephanie Smith, MD, CCFP shares her undeniable love of being a Family Physician in the Canadian Armed Forces....

A joyous overview of Neuropathology awaits you! Ever since she was six years old, Laura Schmitt, MD, FRCPC, knew she wanted to go into medicine, work on the brain, and cure epilepsy (for dogs & humans!). Join host Cameron Wong as he delves into this huge field of medicine with Dr. Schmitt. You'll learn why Neuropathology is at the cutting edge of change, what residency looks like, what a typical w...

Can you see yourself in a field where it's truly possible to cure your patients? Are you aware of the amazing opportunities available in this niche specialty called Medical Microbiology?   Tony Mazzulli, MD, FRCPC debunks a few myths about this every-changing field… namely about being locked in a lab staring down a microscope! Medical Microbiologists indeed interact with clinicians and can do clin...

Let's debunk a few misconceptions about General Pathology – starting with specialists in this field are introverts . It's just not true! Join host Cameron Wong (btw – he's a new host to the show, and this is his first ep!), as he sits down with Deepti Ravi, MD, FRCPC to delve into this enormous specialty and all that it encompasses. They'll touch on the many opportunities in rural/community practi...

Our guests today are quite simply passionate not only about being physicians, but about making sure patients live their best life. If you're looking for a specialty that incorporates medical and surgical management of skin diseases and concerns, and has vast career opportunities, well… listen on! Join host Emily Wu as she dives into the diverse world of Dermatology with Laurie Parsons, MD, FRCPC a...

What distinguishes Radiation Oncology from Medical Oncology? Do you need to be at the top of your class in physics to enter a residency in Radiation Oncology? Are there surgical aspects to this specialty? Is it possible to have a good life/work integration if you pursue this path? Join host Andrew Pauls as he gets the answers to these questions (and more!) from Colin Brown, MD, FRCPC (Prince Edwar...

Do you like children… actually, do you genuinely care for children in more than an academic way? Would you consider care givers as key players in your team? Does the idea of working in a rural and remote practice in Canada's Arctic (Nunavut!) appeal to you? Or how about doing a Pediatrics residency in beautiful Newfoundland and Labrador?   Settle into this episode as host Andrew Pauls explores not...

Do you think the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada is just that big exam at the end of residency? Spoiler alert... it's not! Dr. Guylaine Lefebvre, FRCSC (Executive Director at the Royal College) demystifies the role of the Royal College. Hosts Andrew Pauls and Emily Wu join forces with a slew of questions for Dr. Lefebvre. They dive into what a Royal College residency program rea...

Let's continue to discover together! Hosts Andrew Pauls and Emily Wu join forces to reminisce about the past three seasons of Specialty Café , and share some highlights of what they've learned. Most importantly - they want to ensure they are providing medical students with truly valuable information about the day in the life of  Royal College specialists and residents. Stay tuned for Season 4 (com...

Is it true that you need to be big and buff to be an Orthopedic Surgeon? Dr. Scott Westberg, FRCSC & Dr. Kirsten Hickie (PGY5) debunk this assumption (spoiler alert....no!). They open up to Emily Wu about  their passion for Orthopedic Surgery. They talk about kinship, collaboration, team work... and how they found 'their people' in this broad specialty (an important consideration when chosing your...

Does a rural practice in psychiatry appeal to you? Are you someone who thrives whilst wearing many different hats at work? Is working in a multidiscinplinary environment for you? Join host Emily Wu as she chats with Dr. Evelyn Obosi, FRCPC about her practice in Prince Albert, Saskatchwan. You'll learn about a holistic approach to treating patients... psychological and social factors play a huge pa...

Of course patient management is the end result - but if you love science, technology and overall lab management - Hematological Pathology might be your future! Host Andrew Pauls chats with Dr. Bruce Cameron, FRCPC about this fascinating and broad specialty. Dr. Cameron not only gives an in-depth overview of Hemato pathology (and all the opportunities), he also demystifies how this specialty aligns...

Dr. Katie Lines, PGY4, demonstrates why Psychiatry is one of the most intellectually stimulating specialties. Settle in for an in-depth episode about the realities of a Psychiatry residency. Dr. Lines shares her passion (and huge compassion) for treating some of the most challenging presentations with not only medication, but with complimentary therapies such as psychotherapy. Join Emily Wu as she...

Dr. Gillian MacMullin, FRCSC knew early on that being a community Obstetrics & Gynecology specialist (Cape Breton, NS) was for her. Join Emily Wu as she picks Dr. MacMullin's brain not only on what an OBGYN does... but about the realities, challenges, and joys of being personnally and professionally known in your community. Spoiler Alert - practising in a community is mostly joyful and truly fulfi...

Does your confidence translate into courage? Do you have a sense of honesty, tolerance, and patience with a commitment to integrity? Join  Andrew Pauls as he asks Dr. Susan Brien, FRCSC to share her path to becoming a Neurosurgeon. Of course you'll learn about Neurosurgery and what a day in the life looks like. But just as importantly, Dr. Brien delves into the human aspects of being a surgeon and...

Emily Wu discovers the ins and outs of this ' under the radar' specialty called Vascular Surgery. Do you see yourself working in a life and limb saving specialty? Dr. Randolph Guzman, FRCSC and Dr. Rikesh Parekh (PGY5) dive into the technical and surgical aspects of their career. They share incredible moments of life-saving procedures, and the sheer pride they have at the end of their work day. If...

Do you see yourself practicing in a specialty that involves cutting edge technology (think along the lines of robotics), with surgical and medical opportunities? Does a diverse patient population (infants, the elderly, opera singers, farmers etc..) appeal to you? Does the anatomy of the head and neck spike your interest? Host Andrew Pauls sits down with Dr. Françoise Chagnon, FRCSC and Dr. Ciarán...

Anyone. Anytime. Anything. Anywhere. Can you live up to this motto? If yes - then Emergency Medicine just might be the right fit for you. Join Andrew Pauls as he chats with Dr. Kaif Pardhan, FRCPC and Dr. Andrew Chang, PGY2. Our guests provide first hand advice on what makes a good Emergency Medicine candidate with a few 'insider' tips on what the selection committee looks for! It's a privilege to...