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Trusted ER doctor Brian Goldman brings you honest and surprising stories that can change your health and your life. Expect deep conversations with patients, families and colleagues that show you what is and isn't working in Canadian healthcare. Guaranteed you’ll learn something new. Episodes drop every Friday.
127 Episodes
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“Pistol” Pete Pearson took ‘magic mushrooms’ illegally to ease his end-of-life distress, and is angry that Health Canada denied him access through the Special Access Program. Meanwhile, UHN psychiatrist and leading psilocybin researcher Dr. Joshua Rosenblat suggests its efficacy may stem from enhanced neuroplasticity—and it might be available by prescription sooner than later.
1"Pistol" Pete Pearson underwent psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy to ease his end-of-life distress, and calls it a game-changer. Rather than cursing the things he can no longer do, he's grateful for the time he has left. Psilocybin is still illegal in Canada, but Health Canada has invested millions into research by UHN psychiatrist Dr. Joshua Rosenblat. He advises against using psilocybin illegally, like Pete did – but says legalization may be just around the corner.
Pete Pearson, 74, is not ready to die. He was diagnosed six years ago with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which has an average survival rate of 2-3 years after diagnosis. He knows he's on borrowed time, and has been dealing with anxiety and depression. That’s why he's seeking approval from Health Canada to use psilocybin as part of a treatment called psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. His son Blake, who is also a family doctor, believes it can help his dad live the rest of his life to the fullest.
Leanna Scott has always gone out of her way to help others — which is why she decided to become a surrogate. She carried a child for a couple from the Netherlands who chose Canada because of its altruistic surrogacy laws and strong health-care system. As demand grows, Canadian surrogates like Leanna are increasingly sought after by intended parents both here and abroad. Pamela White, a Canadian researcher who teaches law at the University of Kent, says it's time Canada has a discussion around its surrogacy laws.
Lung cancer is Canada’s deadliest cancer—and about one in four cases now occur in people who have never smoked. Toronto father Winhan Wong knows this firsthand: a lingering cough nine years ago led to a stage-four diagnosis. Thoracic surgeon Dr. Christian Finley explains why lung cancer is rising among never-smokers, the stigma around diagnosis, and how a national action plan aims to save lives.
Growing up, Mykayla Whitmarsh was told to make eye contact, sit still and laugh at friends’ jokes. Now 24, she’s part of a growing group of young women diagnosed in adulthood with “AuDHD” – autism and ADHD. After years of struggling, she advocated for herself, was diagnosed at 22, and now shares her daily life @autisticayla on TikTok.
William Hume knew he was dying, which is why he applied and was approved for medical assistance in dying (MAID). But in his final days, his daughter Stacey says her dad wasn't able to receive MAID at an Edmonton hospital run by a Catholic health-care provider and had to transfer to another facility. He died before that could happen. Dr. Andrea Letourneau, a critical care specialist and MAID provider, says forced transfers are a terrible practice that forces patients to go through extra hoops in order to receive the death they want.
Millions of Canadians are without a family doctor or nurse practitioner in Canada. But Denmark, a country where 98 per cent of its population is attached to a primary care provider, could have some lessons for us. We travelled to the Scandinavian country to see how the Danish system works for patients and doctors, and the differences are startling.
At 24, Kyle Brymer went to the ER with altered speech, facial drooping, severe headaches and confusion. The doctor blamed Kyle’s symptoms on his post-grad academic workload and even his partner Kirstie. In a few days, he went back to the ER – and this time, the stroke was unmistakable. Strokes in young people are on the rise in Canada, with one in 20 affecting someone under the age of 45. And even a decade later, Kyle says he’s still "not back to normal."
Overwhelmed by hot flashes, brain fog, and a frozen shoulder, Aidan Brame turned to a private clinic when the public system couldn’t help. Her experience highlights why more Canadians are paying for menopause care, and what it reveals about gaps in the health system.
One stretcher. More than 80 patients waiting. Paramedics arriving with patients while admitted patients await transfer. That was the reality for registered nurse Jayme Hack during a recent shift at Edmonton’s Royal Alexandra Hospital. Along with colleague Valerie Evanishen, she offers a frontline view of the relentless pressure inside one of Alberta’s busiest emergency rooms. ER physician and former politician Dr. Raj Sherman puts it bluntly: ERs are the canary in the coal mine and “the canary is dead.” He says we can, and should, do better when it comes to emergency medicine.This is an extended version of the radio broadcast.
Dr. Michael Antil left North Carolina in 2023 with his wife and kids, driven out by an increasingly conservative political climate and COVID-era hostility toward doctors. Now a family physician to over 2,000 patients in Toronto, he’s repeatedly been denied permanent residency, lost in a maze of paperwork and immigration red tape. Canada needs doctors—so why is this so hard?
You may think you're burned out at work, or with life in general. But what does burnout actually mean? Christina Maslach, Professor Emerita of psychology at UC Berkeley, was one of the first researchers in the world to study burnout, and co-created the Maslach Burnout Inventory over 40 years ago, a diagnostic tool that's still widely used today. She explains the distinct phases of burnout, why it's so pervasive in healthcare, and why a spa weekend isn't the cure.
Cardiologist, scientist and bestselling author Dr. Eric Topol's latest book "Super Agers" distills decades of research on how to make us healthier for longer. Topol says that humanity is on the cusp of developing treatments to help tame cancer, dementia and other chronic diseases… just as political forces in the U.S. are shutting down that research.
This holiday season, many of us will be taking to the skies to visit family or escape to warmer climes. So we’re sharing a recent episode of our sister podcast, The Dose, which asks: “What do I need to know about in-flight medical emergencies?” Dr. Vincent Poirier, associate professor of emergency and aviation medicine at McGill University, senior medical advisor for Air Canada and medical consultant for Air Transat, explains what happens when a medical emergency occurs on board and how passengers can help prevent them.
B.C. emergency room physician Dr. Kaitlin Stockton took the rare step of suing her regional health authority, alleging her job was threatened after she and other doctors warned patients about unsafe, overcrowded ER conditions. The lawsuit has since been resolved to both sides’ mutual satisfaction. Dr. Stockton hopes her experience will empower healthcare workers and patients to speak up about patient safety.
Quebec family doctors have struck a tentative agreement with the province, but Dr. Marina Lagodich has made up her mind. When the CAQ government rushed through their healthcare overhaul, Bill 2, in late October, it was the last straw. December 17 will be her last day practicing as a Quebec doctor. Across the province, doctors have criticized the bill, saying it encourages “fast food medicine.” Health policy expert Steven Lewis says although the Quebec government’s means are extreme, it’s hard to argue with its aims: to solve the “disgraceful” primary care crisis.
Ottawa family physician Dr. Nili Kaplan-Myrth faced a long wait for surgery after post-menopausal bleeding, and has seen her patients endure the same. Dr. Nick Leyland, president-elect of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada, explains that gynecologists have limited operating room access, fewer perform surgery, and ovaries are valued less than testicles in the surgery hierarchy. Also: what’s being done to improve care for women nationwide.
Miles Randell, an advanced care paramedic, is trying to do something different for frontline health-care workers who need a supportive work environment. He says years of working as a paramedic in Vancouver led to post-traumatic stress that left him unemployable. And that the help he needed wasn’t there. So he created TEAAM (Technical Evacuation Advanced Aero Medical), a non-profit that deploys helicopters to provide advanced life support in some of the most rugged locations in B.C.’s wilderness. But TEAAM is also a workplace where health-care workers are encouraged to regularly check in and talk about work stress after a call.
Dr. Paxton Bach has spent years trying to help people navigate a broken system. Inconsistent approaches to withdrawal management, long wait times for detox and recovery programs and a system that struggles to address the social determinants of health have caused too many of his patients to fall through the cracks. So he and a team at St. Paul’s Hospital in downtown Vancouver are trailblazing a new model of care that’s set to roll out across B.C. It’s called Road to Recovery, and it’s helping doctors like Bach answer the question: How can I keep you alive until tomorrow?
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The nurse interviewed mentions that people aren't getting vaccinat3d because there are very loud people spreading misinformation. Would love to know his thoughts on the doctors and nurses who ate part of that loud group? what do you feel, do or say when it is your own colleagues that are basically shooting you in the foot?
Excellent podcast! These two are amazing people!
He brought a knife to a gun fight...yet, he's still alive. This pro gun rhetoric has to stop...skip.
I never subscribed to this. wth?
We adopted two brothers when they were 5 & 6. Both had FASD which I diagnosed even though they had been in foster care for over 2 years. (I studied special education in masters program). I had educational experience and credentials needed to help my sons through school. Their teachers and schools didn't have the programs or even basic understanding of their disorder. Fortunately the social problems were minor. Both are on their own now doing relatively well. I don't know how parents without my background can raise their children.
My doctor has gone part-time and my care has improved. He is happier, rested and seems to be providing better care. I know his schedule so I can plan my appointments without any problems. If I need to come in when he isn't there, I know my records are complete and he can be reached if needed. (Often the "on call" doctor I get is one I've met before because my doctor always has a student doctor he is training.) I'm a retired college instructor. I have had a great career. My only regret is that I didn't spend more time with my kids when they were young. I'm glad my doctor is smarter than me!
some of CBC's best. can't imagine a Canada without the CBC
I continue to struggle and manage PTSD 5 years after having a stem cell transplant. It was a final intervention in a complicated 5 year ordeal with Myelofibrosis that had been caused by radiation exposure in my job as a radiation therapist several years prior. WSBC has finally placed me in an excellent rehab program in Vancouver. I am finally feeling a shift inside me that feels like happiness. It has been worth it all to still be here with my young family.
Fantastic episode! I think the point about "taking womens' pain seriously" is the key. In my experience too, complaints about abdominal pain related to menstruation are largely pooh-poohed even by otherwise excellent female physicians. Probably this is due to the systemic discrimination in medical training and research. The same is true of other female complaints, such as the impact hot flashes and other menopausal syptoms can have yet there appears to be virtually no research or awareness campaigning being done on the causes, prevention or possible treatments. I camnot imagine that if men suffered from issues which left them incapacitated by untreatable pain for 30 to 50 days per year, (like period pain can do), for decades of their lives, that it would be condidered anything short of an epidemiological crisis. Thank you for this podcast.
I was so surprised to hear the Dr. say this was the First M.A.I.D. he had attended. That is sad, but understandable, as this is such a private event for the family. How would it feel to have a journalist, a stranger, amongst you all at that time? There must have been a lot of discussion between all involved before this interview, this observance, could occur. I am So Proud of CBC for shining a warm & caring light on this subject, for it needs to be heard.