Reconstructive Minds

Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
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  • Medicine

Reconstructive Minds is a podcast created to demystify plastic surgery for medical students. Through theme-based conversations with attendings and residents, the series explores the full breadth of the specialty - from microsurgery and hand to craniofacial, burn, aesthetic, and reconstructive surgery. Each episode blends clinical insight, academic pathways, research innovation, and personal reflection, offering listeners a deeper understanding of what plastic surgery truly is beyond common misconceptions.

Episodes

  1. 6d ago

    Ep. 3: Becoming a Plastic Surgeon & Life as a New Attending (w/ Dr. Adam Mosa)

    Welcome to Episode 3 of Reconstructive Minds, a podcast dedicated to demystifying plastic and reconstructive surgery for medical students across Canada and beyond! In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Adam Mosa, a paediatric plastic surgeon at the Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto, ON) and Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto. Together, we explore Dr. Mosa's path into plastic surgery, the transition from training to independent practice, and why he reframes work-life balance as peace. We discuss paediatric hand surgery, from bread-and-butter cases to pollicization and a 23-hour double free flap, his research on point-of-care ultrasound in paediatric trigger thumb, how surgeons guide families through traumatic events, and his advice for students weighing a competitive specialty: become a good doctor first. Whether you're early in medical school or considering a future in plastic surgery, this episode offers valuable insights from a paediatric hand surgeon at Canada's largest children's hospital. This episode is brought to you by medical students at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. - Date of Recording: July 2nd, 2026 - Guest: Dr. Adam Mosa, MD, MSc, FRCSC - Host: Valentina Shamoun (2T8) - Producer: Joseph Elgallad (2T8) - Logistics: Parsa Razeghi (2T8) and Gursharan Marwaha (2T9) (0:00) Cold open — 23-hour surgery (0:57) Intro & guest bio — Dr. Adam Mosa (2:48) Finding plastic surgery — the active search (8:00) Becoming an attending — fear & transition (14:05) Work-life balance, reframed as peace (23:02) Guiding families through trauma (32:40) Bread & butter vs. rare cases — pollicization (36:29) Shortest & longest OR — the 23-hour flap (38:01) Research — point-of-care ultrasound & trigger thumb (44:38) Advice — become a good doctor first (46:39) The pressure to specialize early (48:18) Explore broadly before choosing (51:06) What CaRMS committees look for (55:48) Whens vs. ifs — compete without comparison (58:12) Closing reflections & outro

  2. Jun 5

    Ep. 2: Paediatric and Global Plastic Surgery (w/ Dr. Johanna Riesel)

    Welcome to Episode 2 of Reconstructive Minds, a podcast dedicated to demystifying plastic and reconstructive surgery for medical students across Canada and beyond! In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Johanna Riesel, a paediatric craniofacial surgeon at the Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto, ON) and Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto. Together, we explore the breadth of plastic surgery, with a focus on paediatric plastic and reconstructive surgery, global surgery, surgical education, and surgeon wellness. We discuss Dr. Riesel’s career journey, her perspectives on building a meaningful career in surgery, and much more! Whether you're early in medical school or considering a future in plastic surgery, this episode offers valuable insights from one of Canada’s leading paediatric craniofacial surgeons. This episode is brought to you by medical students at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. Date of Recording: May 25th, 2026Guest: Dr. Johanna Riesel, MD, MHPE, FRCSCHosts: Valentina Shamoun (2T8) and Parsa Razeghi (2T8)Producer: Joseph Elgallad (2T8)Logistics: Valentina Shamoun (2T8), Parsa Razeghi (2T8), Joseph Elgallad (2T8), and Gursharan Marwaha (2T9)

  3. Feb 14

    Ep. 1: What is Plastic Surgery? (w/ Dr. Kyle Wanzel)

    Welcome to the inaugural episode of Reconstructive Minds, a podcast dedicated to demystifying plastic and reconstructive surgery for medical students across Canada and beyond! In Episode 1, we sit down live with Dr. Kyle Wanzel, the Program Director of the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery residency program at the University of Toronto and Head of Plastic Surgery at St. Joseph’s Health Centre (Toronto, ON). Together, we explore the true breadth of plastic surgery, pathways to career exploration within the field, what makes training at the University of Toronto unique, and much more! Whether you're early in medical school or actively considering a career in plastic surgery, this episode offers insight into the specialty from one of Canada’s leading educators and plastic surgeons. This episode is brought to you by medical students at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. Date of Recording: February 4th, 2026Host: Valentina Shamoun (2T8)Guest: Dr. Kyle Wanzel, MD, MEd, FRCS(C)Podcast Logistics: Dalal Mahir (2T8), Parsa Razeghi (2T8), Valentina Shamoun (2T8), Yasmin Meghdadi (2T8), and Gursharan Marwaha (2T9)Microphone/Audio Support and Editing: Joseph Elgallad (2T8)

  • 3 Episodes

About

Reconstructive Minds is a podcast created to demystify plastic surgery for medical students. Through theme-based conversations with attendings and residents, the series explores the full breadth of the specialty - from microsurgery and hand to craniofacial, burn, aesthetic, and reconstructive surgery. Each episode blends clinical insight, academic pathways, research innovation, and personal reflection, offering listeners a deeper understanding of what plastic surgery truly is beyond common misconceptions.

Information

  • Creator
    Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    3
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
  • Show Website
    Reconstructive Minds