Opinion

Patients before paperwork: Leveraging AI as a tool in primary care

AI and NLP applications are promising adjunctive tools that will help reduce administrative burden and burnout and enhance delivery of patient-centered care for all Canadians.

Accessibility: The overlooked competency in medical school

The topic of disability is taught, albeit in a limited way, in our medical schools. Yet, one essential element remains glaringly underrepresented: accessibility.

‘Disability’ glaringly absent from federal cabinet portfolios

On May 13, Prime Minister Carney announced his new cabinet of 28 cabinet ministers and 10 secretaries of states, yet incredibly left Canadians with disabilities without any overt representation.

Immersive Virtual Reality is a valuable addition to medical training with the right planning

IVR, a type of simulation that uses virtual spaces and characters rather than physical and human resources, could be the future of medical training.

Contraception isn’t just her job

The current contraceptive landscape places a disproportionate amount of physical and mental burden for pregnancy prevention on women. But what about men?

Equity isn’t optional – it is essential to solving Canada’s cancer problem

Without addressing inequity, we will never be able to solve the cancer problem in Canada.

When care doesn’t translate

For South Asian communities, improved care means earlier screening, culturally relevant guidance and meaningful language access. Without these changes, we risk continuing a pattern of preventable harm.

The potluck cure: Sharing meals, swapping stories in the doctors’ lounge to ease burnout

We must remind ourselves that historically through food and drink, medical professionals had built-in ways to connect and get social support throughout our workday.

Better together: Where are the pharmacists in Ontario’s primary care plan?

We have said it before. We will say it again. Pharmacists in Ontario are well-prepared for an expanded role in our health-care system.

Competency-based leadership: A critical imperative for Canadian health care

Canada is in a moment that demands more – more wisdom, more rigor, more courage. Medical associations, like the government itself, are being asked not just to manage systems but to transform them.

How to keep pushing forward: Lessons learned as CMA president

"The CMA presidency has been one of the most challenging, and humbling, roles of my career, but also one of the most rewarding and inspiring. These lessons are a call to action."

‘This Will Make You a Better Doctor’

As medical trainees, we spend years learning to care for patients. But absolutely nothing prepared me to be a doctor better than being a patient.

Cannabis education missing in Canadian health care

The legalization of cannabis was a watershed moment for Canada’s health-care system – but legalization without education has left patients vulnerable to misinformation.

Flawed metrics, oversimplified solutions: Debunking the ‘Healthcare Time Saved Index’

Reports like the Healthcare Time Saved Index may generate headlines, but without methodological integrity, they do more harm than good.

Licence to kill: The pandemic on our roads

Many vehicular deaths are preventable. Traffic violence happens frequently but we don’t take these incidents seriously, judicially, socially nor traffic engineering-wise.

Rethinking research priorities

The future of health research depends on a balanced approach – one that fosters innovation while staying rooted in the urgent challenges of today's health-care systems.

How do patients feel about research ethics review?

Research ethics reviews in Canada have come under the media spotlight, with claims the process is exploitative and calls for innovation or reform.

How to support safe driving decisions for individuals with dementia

Assessing driving fitness in dementia patients is one of the most challenging aspects of care, requiring a delicate balance of medical, emotional, ethical and practical considerations.

What kind of freedom are we fighting for?

We doctors take an oath to honour the health of those we serve, prevent illness whenever we can and first do no harm. These values aren’t a political preference; they’re enduring, evidence-based principles of healthy systems.

Bridging gaps in care: Reimagining Ontario’s health system for immigrants and refugees

It's time to reimagine a health-care system that truly works for everyone, especially those at the intersection of social and clinical disadvantage.