Family Planning for Docs - Thriving or Surviving?

Dr. Stephanie Zhou is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto where she created the financial literacy curriculum and is the Director of Addiction Medicine at Sunnybrook Hospital. She sits on the board of Toronto Public Health.Dr. Zhou immigrated to Canada and grew up in subsidized housing, which led to her investing in education and housing initiatives through philanthropy.She founded the annual Physicians Financial Wellness conference, a national, philanthropic conference for physicians on financial education and practice management. The ticket proceeds were used to establish The Equity Award, an endowment fund supporting students with financial need.Dr. Zhou received Canada's Top 100 Most Powerful Women award and the Ascend Canada Social Impact Award for her work in improving economic mobility through financial literacy. Dr. Zhou is a nationally invited speaker on personal finance and runs a popular financial education blog on Instagram and Youtube called Breaking Bad Debt. Her biggest accomplishment is being mom to a former NICU baby named Eleanor.In this episode, Dr. Zhou shares her personal journey through an unexpected high-risk pregnancy and her daughter's preterm NICU stay, all while balancing a diverse career spanning clinical practice, administration, and teaching.We also dive into the financial realities of maternity leave for physicians and the often-overlooked strategies she used to fund her leave, including insurance, investments, rental income, and creative revenue streams.If you're navigating pregnancy, planning a family, or trying to build a fulfilling career in medicine while raising kids, this episode offers both inspiration and practical insights to help you thrive, not just survive.Episode Resources:Pregnancy and Parental Leave Benefit Program (PPLBP) for Physicians: How to Apply & New Updates: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z103-1PTSiYPPLBP Website:https://www.ontario.ca/page/pregnancy-and-parental-leave-ontario-physicians• Maternity & Parental Leave in Canada (Residents):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF4ybpVmZ3QPlanning for Pregnancy & Infertility: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvfNpcc8MaUEl Benefits & Childcare in Canada: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0jOcsK14dgAdvocacy Updates:• OMA updates:https://www.oma.org/practice-professional-support/running-your-practice/operations-and-practice-management/human-resources-management/pregnancy-and-parental-leavel• Parental Leave Facebook group advocating to extend leave to 22 weeks for physicians on the old PPLBP. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1729207944684550

Dr. Hiraki shares her journey of balancing a demanding medical career with family planning, highlighting the challenges and support systems that helped her along the way. She discusses the importance of perseverance, the role of a supportive partner, and the cultural differences in maternity leave between the US and Canada.Dr. Linda Hiraki is a Clinician-Scientist in the Division of Rheumatology and Scientist in Genetics & Genome Biology Program at SickKids Research Institute. Hiraki completed her medical degree at Queen’s University, and her clinical training in paediatrics and rheumatology at SickKids. She is certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in the specialties of paediatrics and paediatric rheumatology. Dr. Hiraki went on to pursue research training at the Harvard School of Public Health where she completed a Masters and Doctor of Science in Epidemiology. Dr. Hiraki holds a Canada Research Chair in Genetics of Rare Systemic Inflammatory Diseases.

In Episode 11, we dive into the inspiring journey of Mimosa Luigi, an MD-PhD student at McGill University. Balancing her fifth year of training with the joys and challenges of motherhood, Mimosa shares her insights on integrating family planning into a demanding medical career. Mimosa Luigi, MSc, is an MD-PhD candidate at McGill University, currently in year 6 of the physician-scientist program. Her doctoral research in the Department of Psychiatry focuses on the prevention and management of violence in forensic psychiatry, with an emphasis on optimizing the clinical utility of risk assessment tools and the implementation of collaborative approaches between service users and the multidisciplinary professional team. She also conducts research on MD-PhD education in Canada.Thanks for listening!

Discover how Dr. Piggott navigated the complexities of having three children at different stages of her medical career, from residency to staff. Dr. Piggott, MD, MSc, FRCPC, is a staff geriatrician at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto and an Assistant Professor with the Institute of Health Policy, Management & Evaluation (IHPME). She completed her medical degree and completed subspecialty training in Geriatric Medicine at the University of Toronto. After completing her fellowship in 2018, Dr. Piggott pursued a Masters in Quality Improvement and Patient Safety with IHPME at the University of Toronto. She is now the director of Quality Improvement Methods in the QI Masters program at IHPME, the faculty co-lead for the Division of Geriatric Medicine Co-Learning Quality Improvement Training Program, and also co-built and teaches in the McMaster MacQIPS quality improvement certificate program.Her story of resilience and balance offers valuable insights for anyone juggling family and professional aspirations. 

In Episode 9, join Dr. Michael Ordon and Dr. Jamie Kroft as they share their unique journey through medical training, early career, and family planning. From meeting in medical school to welcoming their first child just six months into Jamie’s practice — while Michael was still completing his fellowship — they reflect on the challenges and rewards of growing their family alongside demanding medical careers. Their second child arrived when Jamie was still early in practice, and together they have navigated parenthood with three children in total.They discuss timing, support systems, and the evolving landscape of parental leave in medicine, offering candid insights for other physicians considering when to start a family.Dr. Kroft specializes in low-risk obstetrics and minimally invasive gynaecologic surgery, focusing on the treatment of endometriosis and fibroids. She is part of the fellowship training program at Sunnybrook, where she also supervises research. Dr. Ordon is a urologist specializing in kidney stones, minimally invasive surgery, and renal transplantation, with additional fellowship training in image-guided ablation for small kidney tumours.Tune in for an inspiring conversation on balancing marriage, medicine, and parenthood — and what they’ve learned about thriving both personally and professionally.

Join us in this insightful episode as we sit down with Kat Butler, a final year anesthesia resident at the University of Toronto and incoming Pediatric Anesthesia fellow at SickKids. They are a white, non-binary trans and queer parent to a toddler, a qualitative researcher, and avid cyclist. Kat grew up in the territories of the Algonquin people and is now living and working on the traditional lands of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and the Mississaugas of the Credit River.They started a family during residency, taking 1 year off after the birth of their child between PGY3 and PGY4.  Kat shares their experiences navigating medical training, family planning, and the challenges of being a non-binary trans parent. Tune in to hear about their unique perspective on balancing a demanding career with personal life, and the systemic changes needed to support future medical professionals. 

Ida-Maisie Famiyeh is a third-year medical student at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, and a practicing clinical pharmacist. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy (2014), completed her pharmacy residency at Women’s College Hospital (2015), and obtained her MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences (2017). Alongside her medical training, she is actively engaged in research spanning pharmacist scope of practice, medication reconciliation, cardio-oncology, perinatal mental health, and opioid-related harms in older adults. Beyond her professional work, Ida-Maisie is a mom of two and content creator, sharing insights that help patients and families navigate the healthcare system with confidence and compassion.

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Giovanna Sirianni and Dr. Jeremy Edwards, a physician couple navigating careers in family medicine and cardiology. Dr. Sirianni shares insights from her extensive work in palliative care, medical education, and research, while Dr. Edwards discusses his path in cardiology and his passion for supporting medical learners.We explore their journeys through medical training, family planning as dual-physician partners, and the challenges of balancing professional and personal lives. Tune in for an engaging conversation about mentorship, career growth, and the evolving culture of medicine.Dr. Sirianni is a family physician with a focused practice in palliative care, an Associate Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, a medical educator and About Empathy Podcast co-creator. Dr. Sirianni has held multiple educational leadership roles including as Enhanced Skills (PGY-3) Program Director, Palliative Care Program Director, Faculty Development Lead and Workplace Based Assessment Lead for the MD Program at the University of Toronto. Throughout her medical education leadership career, she has been engaged in scholarship and research with publications in CMAJ, Medical Teacher and Canadian Family Physician among others. In 2024 Dr. Sirianni was named as an AMS Fellow in Compassion and Artificial Intelligence.  Dr. Edwards earned undergraduate degrees in electrical engineering and medicine at the University of Toronto before going on to complete postgraduate training in internal medicine and cardiology. Subsequently, he completed a two year fellowship in echocardiography at St. Michael’s Hospital. He joined the Department of Medicine at St. Michael’s Hospital, University of Toronto in 2011 as an Adult Cardiologist with a clinical interest in valvular heart disease and interventional echocardiography. He has held a number of medical education leadership roles prior to becoming Academy Director in October 2021. He is passionate about supporting and empowering medical learners to succeed at achieving their individual goals.Don’t forget to subscribe and share your thoughts in the comments!

In this episode, we chat with Dr. Silver, a staff psychiatrist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, to discuss the realities of balancing a career in medicine with motherhood. From navigating maternity leave in residency to managing the demands of clinical work and family life, Dr. Silver shares her insights on resilience, support systems, and systemic changes needed to better accommodate parents in medicine.She had her oldest son at the end of her third year of residency. After taking a year off, she returned to her fourth year as a chief resident. She became pregnant with her daughter about a year after returning and took another year off. Her third child was born after she had been a staff psychiatrist for about two years.Dr. Silver attended McMaster University for Medical School and completed her Psychiatry Residency training at the University of Toronto. As a staff psychiatrist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, her clinical interests lie in the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders and in the delivery of urgent psychiatric care. As a Clinician Teacher, she is actively involved in teaching residents and medical students.We appreciate your feedback - please leave a comment and subscribe so you never miss a new episode!

In this episode, we chat with Dr. Phillips! Dr Dana Phillips is from Philadelphia and completed her undergraduate medical training at the University of Pennsylvania and her residency in Emergency Medicine at Temple University Hospital in North Philadelphia. In 2018, she relocated to Toronto with her husband. She is an emergency physician at Sunnybrook and an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto. She is passionate about medical education and is the Director of Undergraduate Medical Education for the Sunnybrook ED and a member of the ED FRCP residency program's competence committee. Her clinical interests include cardiovascular emergencies and outside of work she cherishes time with her three children, ages 4, 2, and 1, is an avid runner, and maintains a strong passion for Philadelphia sports.We appreciate your feedback - please leave a comment and subscribe so you never miss a new episode!

In this episode, we chat with Dr. Teo, a family medicine resident at McMaster University. She completed medical school at the University of Toronto in 2024. Prior to medical school, she practiced as a pharmacist. She is a mother to 3 children – a 7-year-old and a set of 5-year-old twins. In her spare time, she enjoys dancing, woodworking and organizing / re-organizing her home (with very limited success).We appreciate your feedback - please leave a comment and subscribe so you never miss a new episode!

“We advocated to the OMA for early supports, like a birth doula, lactation support, increased IVF support, how important this is and how infertility rates in physicians are up to 40%. We were able to get a lot of things done. I feel like the system has a long way to go to recognize that this is important work. But its upward progress” - Dr. Samira JeimyIn this episode, we chat with Dr. Jeimy, a program director in Clinical Immunology and Allergy at Western University. Join us as she shares her inspiring journey of balancing motherhood and medical training. Tune in for insights on resilience, family planning, and the power of a supportive community.

“I was going to go to medical school, but I wasn’t going to let that dictate how I made other life choices. Starting a family was always something that was very important for me. The best thing you can give yourself is a life you will have no regrets about.” - Abby Kapsack In this episode, we chat with Abby Kapsack, a medical student at the University of Toronto. We learn about her journey with family planning and family building during medical school. Join us as we delve into the joys of bal...

“I would say know yourself as a person, and understand yourself outside of your role as a doctor, outside of your career in medicine, because it's just part of who you are. It's not all of who you are.” - Dr. Shirin DasonIn this episode, we chat with Dr. Shirin Dason, a Gynecologic Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) fellow. We learn about her journey with family planning, juggling fellowship with having young children and her valuable advice to other medical learners. We ap...

“We love having kids because we see them as better versions of ourselves, and we have the opportunity to try and guide them into people who are just really good people.” - Dr. Bev YoungIn this episode, we chat with Dr. Bev Young, psychiatrist and co-founder of BRIA. We talk about rebranding your career in medicine, how childrens’ perspectives on your job change over time, mental health for women across the reproductive ages, and nurturing your relationship with your partner over time. We...

“I think it's just important to decide what you want in your career and decide what you want in your personal life, and not let one stop you from achieving your goals in the other. Because you just need to make the decision and then figure out all the details later, you can make it work.” - Dr. Andrea CopelandIn this episode, we chat with Dr. Andrea Copeland, a recent graduate of the Plastic Surgery residency program at McMaster University. We talk about her experience having children during ...

“The first thing I’m going to say, and this is what I encourage to all our residents, is to ensure that you do set aside prioritized time.” - Dr. Peter FergusonIn this episode, we chat with Dr. Peter Ferguson, an Orthopedic surgeon and Chair of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Toronto. We talk about his perspectives balancing fatherhood and residency 20 years ago, the evolution of medical training policies in support of family planning, and the work that’s still left to do. We hear ab...

“I guess people looking at me from the outside must have thought that I had to make a decision or a compromise between a career and a family, but I always knew that I was going to do both.” - Dr. Heather ShapiroIn this episode, we chat with Dr. Heather Shapiro, an Obstetrics and Gynecologist and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) specialist. We learn about Dr. Shapiro’s leadership roles, her perspectives on the change in work culture over the years, and the best parts of being a...

“Part of what physician wellness ends up being is your ability to balance your career with your parenting goals” - Dr. Sharon DombIn this episode, we chat with Dr. Sharon Domb, an academic family physician at Sunnybrook Hospital, with a fellowship in women’s health and obstetrics. We talk about changes in maternity leave policies, the importance of soul searching in medical school, and her relationships with her children. We also hear about Dr. Domb’s thoughts on using priorities to guide imp...

“You know, the old adage is, “It takes a village” - Dr. Elisa GrecoIn this episode, we chat with Dr. Elisa Greco, a vascular surgeon and program director for the Vascular Surgery Program at the University of Toronto. We talk about the need for ancillary support for medical trainees looking to family build, and her own journey navigating motherhood as a staff physician.We appreciate your feedback - please leave a comment and subscribe so you never miss a new episode!---------------------------...

“I think the best part about kids is sitting back and just enjoying life and special moments”. - Dr. Liza PulcineIn this episode, we chat with Dr. Liza Pulcine, a pediatric neurologist and associate program director at SickKids Hospital. We talk about slowing down as a parent-physician, support systems that help them succeed and newborn cuddles!We appreciate your feedback - please leave a comment and subscribe so you never miss a new episode!---------------------------------------------------...

“You have to have the mindset to just deal and keep moving. And I feel that was something that helped me through those tough years”. - Dr. Sony SierraIn this episode, we chat with Dr. Sony Sierra, an OB/GYN and REI specialist. We talk about how mentorship was integral to her journey as a medical trainee and now, as a practicing physician. We delve into what it’s been like being a single mom and a physician, and what positive role modeling can look like for your teenagers. We appreciate y...

“You can still have, you know, a wholesome, fulfilling and satisfying life, even if you always wanted kids and don't get them as you go through life” - Dr. Sarah PattersonIn this episode, we chat with Dr. Sarah Patterson, a Hematologist. We talk about how family plans don’t always go to plan, her journey as a married physician without children, and the importance of finding your people. We appreciate your feedback - please leave a comment and subscribe so you never miss a new episode!---...

“So that recognition that you're only human and that you have to step back sometimes…but you have to, because that's what you have to do”. - Dr. Crystal ChanIn this episode, we chat with Dr. Crystal Chan, an OB/GYN and REI specialist. We talk about how she pivoted her career from academia to private practice, the unexpected challenges of parenthood and the importance of taking care of yourself. We appreciate your feedback - please leave a comment and subscribe so you never miss a new epi...

“This whole process, even with all the support, is very isolating. Having someone to talk to and having people around you is critical” - Dr. Tess FitzpatrickIn this episode, we chat with Dr. Tess Fitzpatrick, a neurologist working in the GTA. We learn about her journey with IVF, being pregnant and a full-time physician, and the importance of role modelling.We appreciate your feedback - please leave a comment and subscribe so you never miss a new episode!---------------------------------------...

“Your family needs you to be well” - Dr. Pip HoughtonIn this episode, we chat with Dr. Pip Houghton, a rural family doctor and mother of 3. We talk about perinatal mental health, postpartum depression, transitioning from medical trainee to physician-parent and the importance of online communities.We appreciate your feedback - please leave a comment and subscribe so you never miss a new episode!----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------...

“I’m just going to do what I can with what I have - which is a very engineering way to think” - Dr. Stephanie ChanIn this episode, we chat with Dr. Stephanie Chan, an ophthalmologist working in Ottawa, Canada. We learn about her journey having children as a resident and twins as a staff physician, the importance of compression socks in pregnancy and balancing personal life and career. We appreciate your feedback - please leave a comment and subscribe so you never miss a new episode!Resou...

“Make sure to constantly be checking in with yourself and taking care of yourself for the longevity of you” - Dr. Dawn ArmstrongIn this episode, we chat with Dr. Dawn Armstrong, a resident physician in the Department of Psychiatry at Dalhousie Medical School. We learn about her journey as a non-traditional medical student, being a mother to five children while also being in medical school, and navigating family life during residency. We appreciate your feedback - please leave a comment a...

“As physicians, we need to live through the hard parts in order to have empathy for those we care for” - Dr. Jocelyn CharlesIn this episode, we chat with Dr. Jocelyn Charles, a family physician and associate professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto. We learn about her experiences in leadership roles, how she started her first year of practice as a mom, and the importance of having a strong support system to keep you afloat.We appreciate your fe...

“Your children are only loaned to you, so use the time that you have with them” - Dr. Dionne Gesink In this episode, we sit down and talk to Dr. Dionne Gesink, a Professor in Epidemiology and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. We chat about her journey with family planning and family building as a doctorate and post-doc student. You’ll learn about how she paved the way for other professionals, the importance of leadership and how she navig...

“Google Calendar becomes another member of the family” - Dr. Stephen In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Stephen, a family physician and palliative care doctor, about his experiences with family building. We chat about the importance of locum coverage as a staff physician, balancing fatherhood with medicine, daycare waitlists, and the ins and outs of paternity leave. We appreciate your feedback - please leave a comment and subscribe so you never miss a new episode!#PalliativeCare ...

I once had a professor tell me: “It’s easy to forget to have children.” - Dr. Maxime BillickIn this episode, Radha chats with Dr. Maxime Billick, an Infectious Disease resident physician, and Dr. Joseph, a family physician, about their experiences with egg freezing. In this special episode, we talk about the financial aspects of egg freezing, the psychological challenges of the process and the peer support systems available for medical trainees. We appreciate your feedback - please leave a co...

“The fact that I am a mom makes me a better doctor and the fact that I'm a physician helps me be a better mom in some ways” - Dr. Malika Sharma In this episode, we chat with Dr. Malika Sharma, an Infectious Disease specialist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto, about her journey with family planning and family building during residency and fellowship. Join us as we talk about healing your inner child, the dual stigma of being a physician-pa...

“Do the things now, incorporate those changes into your life. Don't constantly be putting things off, waiting for a better time to come, because things only get more complicated as you go” - Dr. Andrea SimpsonIn this episode, we sit down and talk to Dr. Andrea Simpson, an obstetrician and minimally invasive gynaecologic surgeon, about her journey with family planning and family building during clinical fellowship and as a staff physician. We talk about strict daycare policies, balancing late ...