Critical Care

Dancing with uncertainty: Finding my rhythm in the chaos of the OR

As a medical learner, uncertainty is everywhere—especially in anesthesia. But I hope to find calm within the unknown.

Beyond the signature: Is consent truly informed?

Moving forward, making informed consent truly informed – rooted in both equity and accessibility –  needs to be a priority, not just an ideal.

‘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.

Breathing for both of us

I walked into the obstetrics unit – 36 weeks pregnant, out of breath and scared. I had been here before, but this time was different.

How health care works in Canada: What to know ahead of the federal election

With voters heading to the polls on April 28, we figured it’s time for a refresher on how health policy is made and where the parties stand.

The urgent need for emergency dental care reform in Canada

By prioritizing children's dental health, we're not just improving smiles – we're building a healthier future for our nation.

Barriers to Paxlovid are exacerbating our health inequities

Access to Paxlovid has become increasingly challenging. Canada needs to do a better job at making it more accessible to those who would benefit most.

‘We have to be very cautious’: Experts speak out on dangers of avian flu outbreak

We asked a group of experts how concerned we need to be in light of the recent H5N1 infection in B.C., and what – if anything – we should do about it. 

A plea to maskless health-care workers from vulnerable patients

Health-care workers have a responsibility to protect their vulnerable patients. Our lives are in your hands.

Patients, not politicians, decide what is an emergency

Ontario Premier Doug Ford made reckless statements on Oct. 25 that we as emergency physicians must correct. Patients decide what is a medical emergency. We trust our patients to make that decision.

Out of sight, out of mind? What the experts say we need to know about COVID-19 as we head indoors

Though we are not “post-COVID,” some say we are “post-crisis.” But the question remains: “What should we be doing about COVID now?”

We have lost our way in Ontario

Ontario's government has pursued a "populist" agenda, focusing on privatization, deregulation and profit-driven models. These have had devastating effects on health care and public safety.

Staying ahead of the curve – fentanyl, xylazine and the growing syndemic

Xylazine and other contaminants have made their way into the illicit drug supply complicating overdose response. We cannot afford to sit back and watch what happens.

Team Canada’s Alicia Souveny: Car crash survivor and blood donation advocate

Alicia Souveny lost her left leg in a car accident in 2019 and would have lost her life, too, had she not received enough blood in time from donors. She's now an ambassador for the Canadian Blood Services and a member of the national women's para-hockey team.

Privilege. Blame. Allyship. Reflecting on reconciliation as a non-Indigenous physician

CMA president Joss Reimer writes, "As individuals, we may not be responsible for what happened in the past. But we are responsible for what happens in the future."

Sidelined and underutilized: Red tape, finances discouraging thousands of internationally trained nurses already here

Ontario needs to hire 24,000 nurses to meet the national average. Internationally-educated nurses that are already in the province could help fill this gap.

‘You just go to the bathroom and cry it out’: Paula, licensed practical nurse, Red Deer

‘We shouldn’t have to work 2 or 3 jobs to survive’: Lisa Allen, personal care attendant, St. John

Droplet or airborne? WHO says it’s ‘through the air’ 

The WHO is slowly moving forward on airborne transmission. But language changes seem forced, unnecessary and only seem to benefit those who were unable to use the word "airborne" early in the pandemic.

If not you, who will make your medical decisions?

Imagine finding yourself in a medical emergency, unconscious and unable to communicate. Who then becomes your voice in this complex web of health-care decisions?