Surgery

‘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.

Report reveals ‘alarming trend’ of private staffing agencies in Ontario hospitals

New report reveals growth in government funding on Ontario’s public hospital systems has been significantly outpaced by spending on private staffing agencies.

Cutting for comfort: Understanding the role of palliative surgery

Would you or a loved one undergo surgery knowing that it would not lead to a cure? This question invites a broader discussion about the risks and benefits of such decisions.

Private equity and health care: Should Canadians be concerned?

As Canadians, we should be asking questions about why private equity investment firms are so interested in owning parts of our health-care system.

Artificially Wise: Can AI truly make smart clinical decisions?

Much ink has been spilled on the self-learning capabilities of AI. Not much has yet been said on physicians’ learning gap on AI in health care.

It’s not all pretty in pink: To prevent breast cancer, let’s stop missing the forest for the trees

Breast cancer rates, even among young people, are on the rise. For this Breast Cancer Awareness month, there's more we could be doing to prevent the disease before it starts.

Episode 71 – Intravenous Iron

Royal College’s deal with RBC an ethical lapse

The Royal College of Surgeons of Canada has long received large donations from Canada's biggest bank, RBC. But RBC is also the number one world financier of fossil fuels. One plastic surgeon reflects on the ethics of this relationship.

Blockchain and the future of medicine

Move over Bitcoin, blockchain is no longer just for cryptocurrency. The technology could improve transparency, trust and efficiency in health-care settings. But what exactly is blockchain and how do we make the best use of it in health care?

Emergency brain surgery showed me the best of Ontario health care – and the worst

It’s true that when faced with a crisis, some of the best health-care professionals in the world are available to care for us. But that system is at its breaking point.

Will the first cut be the deepest? The debate on for-profit surgeries

As Ontario moves to fund private centres for select surgical procedures, will the province see a reduction in backlogs? Or is it a slippery slope towards further privatization of the provincial healthcare system? Our experts weigh in.

The Plan to Stay Open: Relief for our beleaguered health-care system or a move to further privatization?

Ontario’s Plan to Stay Open, a five-point strategy aimed at “health-care system stability and recovery,” has been the subject of much debate since its final release in August. We asked a panel of experts what they thought about the plan. Here's what they had to say.

Episode 44 – Tranexamic Acid in Non-Cardiac Surgery and Post-ICU Syndrome

College must act to ensure equitable health-care outcomes for women, marginalized communities

Differences in surgical outcomes between men and women may be part of a larger gendered public health crisis.

Our Surgeries, Ourselves

Columnist Anne Borden King combines meticulous research with moving reflections about living with breast cancer to expose an overlooked form of medical paternalism and explore the thought-provoking relationship between one’s body and most intimate self-image.

She was jilted at the neurosurgery altar but found true love in pediatrics

A doctor reflects on her passionate romance with neurosurgery, her devastating break up on Match Day, and how she then found a soulmate in pediatric intensive care.

Gender and medical specialty choice – have we made progress?

Gender differences in medical specialty choice persist. Here are the factors that play a role in these imbalances – and how residency programs can attract more female applicants.

Episode 23 – Rapid Fire!

Choosing the best option for hip surgery

Cracking the code for surgical success