Just Medicine

Climate change is presenting a big problem for health, with significant implications for equity. As medical trainees, when it comes to addressing the health impacts of climate change in our patients, it can be hard to know where to even start. In this episode, our guest Dr. Melissa Lem – a family physician, environmental advocate, and the president of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) – shares ideas on how to integrate considerations about planetary health into medical practice.Resources:- Ready to get involved in climate action? Check out CAPE, the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care, and EnviroMed at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Medicine.- Dive into some of the health research and recommendations around time spent in nature at the website of PaRx⁠, Canada’s evidence-based nature prescription initiative.- Consult inhalerguide.ca (or BCinhalers.ca for folks practicing in BC) to learn more about the carbon footprint of and coverage for different asthma and COPD inhalers.Credits:Additional music by ⁠LP-Studio-music, used under the ⁠⁠Pixabay content license⁠⁠.

We learn in medical training that factors big and small have an influence on health. Broader social, economic, political, and environmental forces play an important role in determining who experiences good health, and who does not.In this episode, host Sandra and Dr. Yipeng Ge, a family doctor and public health practitioner, drill down into the details of the structural determinants of health. What are they? How do we recognize their influence in our patients? As medical learners and trainees, what can we do about them?Check out this episode to hear Dr. Ge’s insights on these questions, which draw on his current practice here on Turtle Island, as well as his work in Palestine.Resources:- Learn more about the concept of social prescribing from the Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing.- Read up on the advocacy work of the Canadian Federation of Medical Students (CFMS) and the UBC Medical Undergraduate Society’s Political Advocacy Committee.- Listen to this recent episode of Just Medicine for more on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s 94 Calls to Action. Credits:Additional music by AmsleyBeats, used under the ⁠Pixabay content license⁠.

Welcome back to Just Medicine! In this episode, we explore the often overlooked vulnerabilities in pediatric health care with our excellent guest, Dr. Amarens Matthiesen, a Certified Child Life Specialist. She discusses the importance of including children in healthcare decision-making and how this looks in practice. Please tune in for a thought-provoking conversation on equity and agency in the pediatric care setting.

In this episode, our host Sandra chats with Derek K. Thompson – Čaabať Bookwilla | Suhiltun, a member of the diitiidʔaaʔtx̣ – Ditidaht First Nation and Director of Indigenous Engagement at the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Medicine. They discuss the role of non-Indigenous medical learners and trainees in realizing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s 94 Calls to Action, and especially those that relate to health. Through stories, history, and insights from his personal and professional experiences, Derek offers listeners practical strategies for honouring the Calls to Action in their work within the health care system. He discusses using trauma-informed approaches to care, creating space for knowledge systems about wellness and healing that go beyond the biomedical, and making an emotional commitment to kindness and understanding.Tune in as we explore the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action, and the unique part that you, as medical learners and trainees, play in advancing them. Resources: Read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s 94 Calls to Action. Check out the report, First Nations Population Health and Wellness Agenda: First Interim Update, 2024, mentioned in this episode. Derek will be leading the online event, “To Bear Witness: A Meaningful Conversation with my Mom on Belonging and Perseverance”, on 23 April 2025: Learn more or register now.Credits:Additional music by Denis Pavlov, used under the Pixabay content license.

In the final episode of this four-part series, Kennedy reconnects with Jessie Newman, an Indigenous health dietitian, to bring together the key themes of diet, food access, and the gut microbiome in the context of Indigenous health. Building on earlier discussions, Jessie shares insights into the initiatives she’s spearheaded to promote food sovereignty and improve health outcomes in Indigenous communities. Here, we discuss actionable strategies for addressing food insecurity, fostering cultural connection through traditional food systems, and supporting systemic change. Jessie emphasizes the importance of empowering communities to reclaim their food systems, and highlights how listeners—whether healthcare professionals, students, or advocates—can contribute to these efforts. This episode is both a reflection on the complex intersections of food, culture, and health and a call to action for listeners to engage with equity in healthcare. If you’re ready to explore how understanding and advocacy can drive meaningful change, this episode is for you. Tune in to learn how you can make a difference in advancing food sovereignty, supporting Indigenous health, and creating a more equitable future.

We’re back! This is the third episode of our podcast series on Food Security and the Gut Microbiome where we continue to discuss the critical overlap of healthcare, community, and connection. We’re grateful to speak with Dr. Morgan Lindsay, a dedicated family physician practicing in British Columbia.  In this interview, we examine the perspective of both providers and patients that have been historically underserved. Dr. Lindsay shares valuable insights on the importance of maintaining representation of Indigenous people within the healthcare system, as care providers. We also ask deeper questions about why a patient might be considered ‘vulnerable,’ and look beyond the exam room to understand how addressing the social determinants of health can guide more effective advocacy within systems that often perpetuate these inequities. Finally, we revisit the important topic of food and diet, with a focus on the power of connection. Dr. Lindsay discusses how colonization has disrupted Indigenous peoples’ relationships with their traditional lands and communities, leading to numerous health challenges, and how restoring these connections is key to healing. If you haven't listened to our other two episodes yet and you’re interested to learn more, I highly recommend you go check them out!

Welcome back to Just Medicine!  This week, we continue a podcast series that explores the intersections of diet, food security and the gut microbiome, especially for Indigenous folks.  In our previous episode of the series, we established a fantastic background on the importance of foods and food systems in Indigenous communities, as well as how diets are changing through time. We also discussed some of the adverse health and social outcomes that have disproportionately affected Indigenous communities through generations since colonization.  In this episode, we’re having a conversation with Dr. Estello Nap Hill, a gastroenterology fellow who attended UBC medical school, with specific expertise in the gut microbiome. He speaks to the composition and factors that shape the gut microbiome, how the gut microbiome impacts health, and how microbes in more traditional hunter/gatherer diets differ from Westernized diets. He shares his clinical and research expertise on the topics to emphasize the importance of food to overall health and wellbeing from a medical standpoint.

Welcome back to Just Medicine! This week, we begin a podcast series that explores the intersections of diet, food security, and the gut microbiome, especially for Indigenous folks. In this four part series, Kennedy Graham (UBC MSI 1) speaks to experts to call attention to how colonialism has impacted diet in many Indigenous communities; explore diet’s role in creating and influencing the gut microbiome; highlight existing advocacy projects and approaches that address issues created by colonial practices; and share actionable steps for listeners, towards health equity and cultural preservation in the context of food and land systems for Indigenous communities.  In this first episode, we are honoured to be joined by Jessie Newman, an Indigenous Health Dietician doing both systems and community work on Vancouver Island. We discuss her journey to becoming an Indigenous Health Dietician, as well as systemic and historical causes of food insecurity among Indigenous populations. We address barriers to food sovereignty such as geographic isolation, colonial policy that disrupts intergenerational knowledge transfer on land and food practices, and lack of access to traditional foods. Jessie also speaks to two projects she created, related to diabetes support and knowledge sharing. 

We are back with another episode! In this podcast, I spoke with Bryan Becker, who is presently working in peer support at the RAAC clinic at St.Pauls Hospital. RAAC stands for rapid access addiction clinic: this service provides addiction medicine assessments for any substance use issue, including alcohol. It serves to maximize treatment support for clients, provide training and distribution of Take Home Naloxone, offer harm reduction services and to facilitate referrals to substance use services. Support Workers like Bryan are individuals with lived experience of mental illness or substance use who have graduated from a Peer Support Worker Training Program. These individuals work on a contracted basis under the supervision of Rehabilitation staff with clients who access Vancouver Mental Health and Substance Use programs and services. On his own time, Bryan enjoys BMX, the beach, 3rd Beach drum circle, movies, reading and helping others. I am so honoured to have had the chance to speak with Bryan, and I hope everyone listening takes away as much as I did from the stories and advice that he shares.

We're back! In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Althea Hayden, a medical health officer, Ranjit Lehal, a family nurse practitioner, and Dr. Mei-ling Wiedmeyer, a clinician scientist. From navigating cultural barriers to understanding specific health needs, this week's inspiring guests share their insights and experiences in providing and developing accessible health care for refugee patients. Tune in as we explore community resources and the importance of advocacy in delivering equitable health care for refugee patients.

We are back with another episode! I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Elise Jackson, who recently completed her Addictions Medicine Fellowship following an internal medicine residency at UBC. We speak about the protocols surrounding substance use while in hospital, as well as how the importance of hospitalization as a touchpoint for future care coordination. We also delve into the personal difficulties physicians and other HCP can face while caring for populations with complex needs.

Welcome back to Just Medicine! In this episode, I spoke with Dr. Michael Etowa, a post-doctoral research fellow at the Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing at Toronto Metropolitan University and an associate scientist at the HIV Treatment Network in Ontario. Dr. Etowa's research on HIV vulnerability and resilience in the black community fueled a truly enriching discussion about the social determinants of health, health literacy, and community-based interventions for marginalized populations. Conversations such as this serve as a reminder of the importance of taking an active role in healthcare to serve those who are often underserved, overlooked, and ultimately more vulnerable to poorer outcomes.

We are back again with another episode! I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Victoria Weaver, one of the only dual infectious diseases and addictions medicine specialists in Canada. She shares her insights on the treatment of infectious diseases in patients with concurrent substance use. In particular, we discussed the challenges that arise in ID treatment, disease severity and continuity of care. Additionally, we delved into the ethical dilemmas that often arise in this line of work and the importance of multidisciplinary healthcare teams to this specific population.

Welcome back, everyone! This week's episode focuses on Refugee Health by highlighting a remarkable medical student-led initiative called the Refugee Health Initiative (RHI). I had the pleasure of speaking with Nikola Deretic, a third-year medical student at the University of British Columbia and the current co-president of the Refugee Health Initiative. Nikola delves into the RHI's work to engage and support refugee families in Greater Vancouver with the aid of medical students, language interpreters, and other community organizations. It was truly a meaningful conversation about advocacy and dismantling barriers in health care. To explore the details of the initiative and learn more about Refugee care in BC, check out these websites:https://globalhealth.med.ubc.ca/service/student-groups/refugee-health-initiati https://bcrefugeehub.ca/

We are back again with another episode! I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Mary Kestler, an infectious diseases specialist with particular expertise in HIV, TB, Global Health and Tropical Medicine. She shares her insights on HIV care in urban settings, amidst their unique challenges and opportunities. We also delve into the intersection of HIV care with substance use, gender, and sexual orientation, as well as the social stigmatization that can affect these marginalized groups.

We're back! This week's episode explores the unique mental health challenges faced by youth with chronic illnesses, focusing on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with expert Dr. Astrid Williams. Adolescence and young adulthood are already full of psychosocial and physical changes. Add to this a lifelong illness, and it can lead to feelings of hopelessness and isolation. Listen in on an important conversation on body image struggles, how to navigate a smooth transition from paediatric to adult healthcare, and healthy coping strategies that are youth-friendly. All resources discussed in the episode are linked below! 1. Headspace: https://www.headspace.com/mental-health?origin=navigation 2. Crohn's & Colitis Canada: https://crohnsandcolitis.ca 3. Crohn's & Colitis Canada Youth Wellness Series: https://crohnsandcolitis.ca/Support-for-You/Youth-Education-Series

We’re back again with another episode! This week, dive into the world of genetic testing and the genomic divide with expert guest speakers Dr. Wyeth Wasserman and Dr. Anna Lehman: Did you know that when it comes to genetic testing, you can’t simply use the same reference data for everybody? Different populations of people share different background variations in their genes, so we need good reference data from diverse populations in order for genetic testing to be applicable and useful for each individual. As you may have guessed, this has some pretty big implications for diagnosis and treatment when it comes to those who are poorly represented in large genetic databases.  Listen in on my conversation with not one, but TWO amazing guest speakers who are doing some pretty game-changing work on the Silent Genomes Project, which aims to reduce healthcare disparities and improve diagnostic success for children with genetic diseases from Indigenous populations. 

We are back with another episode! I had the pleasure of chatting with Dr Tribesty Nguyen who is a public health resident physician. He has many years of experience in social justice, health equity, health policy, and political advocacy, particularly with 2SLGBTQ+, refugee, and racialized communities. He is here with us to share about the nuances of providing care for GBTQ+ men and how to take a sexual history for this population. If you have any questions, want to suggest a topic for us to cover, or know of any experts in a particular field, please email us at justmedicinepod@gmail.com

We are back with another episode! I had the pleasure of chatting with Dr Alec Yu who is an internal medicine resident physician working at St Paul's Hospital in inner city downtown Vancouver. He shares us his insights working on the frontlines and resources we can directly connect our patients to. If you have any questions, want to suggest a topic for us to cover, or know of any experts in a particular field, please email us at justmedicinepod@gmail.com

We are back with another episode! I had the pleasure of chatting with Dr Fraser Black and Ashley Mollison who are experts on the complexities of delivering palliative care for a vulnerable population. In this episode, we also discuss what drew Dr Black and Ashley to this line of work and why it is so rewarding. For details on PORT, refer to: https://www.equityinpalliativecare.com/port For details on research about PORT as well as the ways in which approaches to palliative care are defined, understood, provided, received, and supported, refer to https://palliativeapproaches.uvic.ca If you have any questions, want to suggest a topic for us to cover, or know of any experts in a particular field, please email us at justmedicinepod@gmail.com