“In the days after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, I felt overwhelmed. Having recently returned from abroad, I was self-isolating at home and the blue Twitter bird felt like my lifeline to the outside world.
Each day came with progressively alarming announcements and it felt impossible to keep pace with the flood of new information.
This was followed by a deep sense of personal loss and concern, as the immediate changes to my life sunk in – I would no longer be able to visit my family who I hadn’t seen in months, a long-anticipated vacation was cancelled, and my day-to-day work would be entirely transformed.
As I prepared to return to work on the frontlines, I feared the unknown. Reports would surface of ‘young, healthy’ physicians falling critically ill from COVID-19. We all wondered how hard and how fast Canada would be hit.
However, nearly two months since this all began, my initial emotions have given way to acceptance and optimism. My resident colleagues and I have largely adjusted to a new COVID-era routine in the hospital. We have banded together for this common cause, supported each other through challenging times, and been humbled at the public’s renewed appreciation for healthcare workers.
I am cautiously optimistic that the worst may be behind us in Canada, and idealistically optimistic that the pandemic may also catalyze positive change.
Within my own life, I have seen how healthcare and education have been significantly disrupted, but how this has also driven innovation with the rapid adoption of virtual care. We are living through truly historic times and I am hopeful that we will emerge stronger, humbler, and more resilient when the dust settles.”
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