Specialty Caf‪é‬ Royal College Canada

Discover the world of Developmental Pediatrics, one of the best-kept secrets in the field.
Imagine it’s the end of your workday, and you’ve celebrated some unique and special gains with your patients and their families/caregivers. You focused on and applauded their strengths and successes. You reflect on your fortune as you work with (and learn from) a wide range of dedicated and innovative allied health members. Do you think this would fill your cup? 
Tune in as Rhea D’Costa, MD, FRCPC, shares her experiences and insights into this fascinating subspecialty with host Cameron Wong. Learn about the realities of working alongside families and caregivers who ‘move mountains’ to support their loved ones.
Studying for Royal College exams is one thing… but keeping up to date on pop culture for ages 0-21 years old is a pretty sweet form of professional development! If you are torn between Pediatrics, Neurology, Physiatry, and Psychiatry, Dr. D’Costa encourages you to explore the intriguing world of Developmental Pediatrics.
Check out our episode on Pediatrics (dropped on October 7, 2022).
Resource:  F-Word for Child Development https://canchild.ca/en/research-in-practice/f-words-in-childhood-disability

Although this season focuses mainly on subspecialties, our guest today kindly agreed to take us back to a primary specialty (Plastic Surgery) and share her experience as a resident. Note: this is a new episode. 
Would you describe yourself as an innovator and a patient advocate? Do you often wonder what you can do better for your patients?  Does your creative passion ignite when discussing topics like AI, 3D printing, and the power of teamwork? Listen on... Plastic Surgery might be your calling. 
Xiya Ma, MD (PGY3), candidly shares her journey with host Cameron Wong, delving into topics such as navigating being unmatched, her untraditional decision to take a hiatus during medical school to pursue a master's degree, the importance of self-belief and self-trust, and the need to nurture your life outside of medicine.
Oh yes... and of course Dr. Ma gives excellent insight into the diverse specialty of Plastic Surgery and her life as a resident. 
It’s not always easy, but try not to lose sight of your own happiness (personal and professional).
Check out another episode on Plastic Surgery with Shane Seal, MD, FRCSC (published on February 3, 2023). 
 
 
 

Tune-in for a slightly extended episode... we promise it's worth it! While Geriatric Psychiatry takes center stage, our guest consistently brings the focus back to the essence of her medical practice: the patient and their caregiver.
Regardless of the specialty you're pursuing, you won’t want to miss out on the insights shared about humility in medicine, social duties, importance of taking care (and respecting) our elders, great advice whilst you navigate this healthcare path, and so much more!
Join Soojin Chun, MD, FRCPC as she takes host Cameron Wong through her journey to becoming a Geriatric Psychiatrist. Discover the pivotal moments behind the when, why, and how of Dr. Chun’s journey, all while emphasizing her unwavering dedication to her elderly patients who deserve a fulfilling last chapter.  Driven by her sense of duty, she embraces the opportunity to learn from one of the most remarkable patient populations. After all, true wisdom cannot simply be taught—it comes with aging!
When contemplating a career in Geriatric Psychiatry, words like humility, privilege, storytelling, extensive consultations, patience, and embracing challenges might spring to mind!

Welcome to Season 6 of Specialty Café, where we continue delving into  Royal College specialties, subspecialties, and more.
This season, we're delivering on your requests for more special episodes, offering unique insights and journeys. In this timely episode, join host Cameron Wong as he engages in a candid and inspiring conversation with Victoria Turnbull, MD, (PGY2, Urology, University of Western Ontario) who shares her experience of going unmatched in 2021.
Dr. Turnbull's journey is a testament to authenticity. Throughout the discussion, she offers frank insights into her challenges, but also highlights the transformative power of staying true to oneself. Her encounter with a staff member who simply said "me too" shifted her perspective, and was quite simply... freeing. This realization sparked a commitment to advocate for openness and community among those who find themselves in similar situations.
This episode is full of valuable takeaways. Dr. Turnbull's story underscores the message that going unmatched does not diminish your worth. Whether you're navigating the CaRMS journey or supporting peers and future colleagues, there's much to take away from this conversation.
The opinions expressed in this episode are not the views of The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and belong to the individual guest(s).

This is the last Rewind episode of the season. Thanks for sticking with us while we revisited some of our most popular primary specialties. Look out for Season 6 which drops on March 12, 2024. Spoiler Alert: The first episode shares an honest insight into what it's really like going unmatched during the CaRMS process. 
In the meantime...
Our guests describe Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation as a magical specialty. What could be better than getting up every day with the intention of optimizing the quality of your patients' lives? Join host Haley Eckel as she unpacks the mysteries of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation with two passionate doctors from Alberta: Jaime Yu, MD, FRCPC and Yasmin Chishti, MD. It's no secret that fate has steered our guests toward this fulfilling specialty. A career in medicine can be tough - but Physiatry offers immense joy too. A bonus: it really is possible to have a healthy work/life balance. Who knows - Physiatry just might be your path!

We’re prepping fresh content for the next season of Specialty Café. Stay tuned for exciting new episodes heading your way. We’ll continue delving into subspecialties and beyond!
In the meantime, gear up for a trip down memory lane. Join us every Tuesday (only a couple more to go) as we hit rewind and release some of our all-time favourite episodes. Let’s dive back into the primary specialties that sparked your interest.

A huge thanks to our listeners not only in Canada but also around the world! Questions or suggestions for this podcast? Reach out to fellowshipaffairs@royalcollege.ca.
What does a day in the life of a Urologist look like? Who is the patient population? Actually - what is Urology? Join Andrew Pauls as he explores and demystifies this specialty with Emmanuel Abara, MD, FRCSC (Richmond Hill, ON) and Amanda Hakala, MD (PGY-1, Ottawa, ON). It's no secret that our guests are hugely passionate about Urology, surgery, their patients, and .....medicine in general! Dr. Abara imparts word of wisdom on his commitment and experiences as a rural Urologist while Dr. Hakala share tips on what makes a good candidate for a Urology residency. What comes through loud and clear is our guests' dedication to their life in medicine. Who knows- this specialty might just be for you!