Conversations with Jillian

Join host Jillian Horton, MD, FRCPC as she speaks with Teresa Chan, HBSc, BEd, MD, FRCPC, MHPE, DRCPSC (Clin. Ed.), MBA, about navigating a career in medicine after a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis during residency.  In this conversation, Dr. Chan reflects on how her experience as a physician-patient has shaped the way she teaches, practises and leads. She speaks openly about the moments her own symptoms didn't match the textbook descriptions she had learned, and what that revealed about how medicine listens to patients. She also shares her perspective on accommodations in medical training and practice, the importance of physicians seeing themselves as people first, and why disclosing a chronic illness, rather than carrying it silently, so often changes everything. 

Join host Jillian Horton, MD, FRCPC as she speaks with Jon Novick, MDCM, FRCPC about his work in physician health and his own lived experience as a physician with a chronic illness.  In this conversation, he reflects on what it means to be both a physician and a patient, the cultural forces within medicine that make it difficult to seek and receive care, and the unique challenges of treating, or being treated by, a colleague. Drawing on decades of experience and his own journey with inflammatory bowel disease, Dr. Novick speaks candidly about minimization, self-compassion, and why the standard we apply to our patients deserves to be the same standard we apply to ourselves.  Dr. Jon S. Novick, MDCM, FRCPC is a psychiatrist, psychoanalyst and addiction medicine specialist with a private practice in Oakville, Ontario. He serves as Medical Director of the OMA Physician Health Program in Toronto, where his work focuses on physician health and well-being through education, advocacy, assessment, and connecting physicians with the support and resources they need. 

Join host Jillian Horton, MD, FRCPC as she speaks with Maria Zorzitto, MD, FRCPC. During her university years, Maria experienced a traumatic car accident that left her with a spinal cord injury, making her paraplegic overnight. What followed was a long period of hospitalization and rehabilitation, learning how to manage daily life, before eventually returning to her medical training. In this conversation, Maria reflects on navigating a career in medicine as a person with accessibility needs, the invaluable support she received from her teachers and colleagues, and how creative, "out of the box" thinking shaped her experiences as a patient and as a practicing physician.   Royal College members: you can earn MOC Section 2 - Individual Learning credits for listening to this podcast.   Dr. Maria Zorzitto is a geriatrician practicing at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto. With over 40 years in practice, Dr. Zorzitto has been involved in clinical geriatrics, teaching and research in all settings of geriatric services in academic and community care. At St. Michael's Hospital, she has worked with a multidisciplinary team to establish the Geriatric Emergency Management Program, the Geriatric Trauma Service and the Acute Care of the Elderly Unit.   

Join host Jillian Horton, MD, FRCPC as she speaks with Nancy Olivieri, MD, FRCPC. The discussion highlights the importance of advocacy in medicine, particularly in support of patients, and exploring how fear can prevent some from speaking out. They also discuss what someone can do to support a colleague taking a risk if they are not comfortable speaking up for themselves. Royal College members: you can earn MOC Section 2 - Individual Learning credits for watching this video.     A Hematologist, Dr. Nancy Olivieri is a professor of Pediatrics, Medicine and Public Health Sciences at the University of Toronto. She is a Senior Scientist with the Toronto General Hospital Research Institute and the Cancer Care Research Unit with the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. Dr. Olivieri's research focuses on blood disorders: sickle cell disease and thalassemia. 

Join host Jillian Horton, MD, FRCPC as she speaks with Sharon Straus, MD, FRCPC about her own evolution from being a mentee to developing her own skills and passion as a mentor. They also discuss Dr. Straus's transition from clinical work into leadership roles and the importance of prioritizing her own wellness so that she can be a model for the people that she leads. The conversation also touches on what leaders can do to support health care professionals and learners in a post-pandemic world with ongoing challenges facing the health care system. Royal College members: you can earn MOC Section 2 - Individual Learning credits for watching this video.   Dr. Sharon Straus is the Executive Vice-President, Clinical and Chief Medical Officer for Unity Health Toronto. She is also a geriatrician and scientist at St. Michael's Hospital (Toronto) and has held leadership positions at the hospital and the University of Toronto since 2009. Dr. Straus is recognized for her commitment to excellence in mentorship, impactful research, and knowledge translation.