The average person speaks about 16 000 words in one day. Sixteen thousand words spoken over 24 hours to your pets, your neighbour, your partner, maybe even yourself. Learning this made me wonder; how many words do I generate and receive during a day in clinic, interacting with patients, their families, colleagues, and everyone in between. Ultimately, the actual number doesn’t really matter; but it’s interesting to intentionally look at and dissect the content and quantity of communication that goes on, every day. It seems like this communication can happen in a rote way; most conversations be ..read more

It’s official, spooky season is around the corner and so is CaRMS. I went through this process not too long ago myself, and as stressful and challenging it is, you WILL get through it in one piece! I wanted to share a few thoughts I had along the way. It’s draining… but it is temporary Between covering the multiple financial costs incurred by the match process, the emotional and mental costs of the whole affair, it’s safe to say you’ll be tired. Please remember to take care of your body and your mind by continuing to do all those good-for-the-soul-things you do to keep yourself sane. It’s n ..read more

Source: The Great Realization, Tomos Roberts In April 2020, Tomos Roberts, a 26-year film maker, released a poem called “The Great Realization”. It has now been viewed millions of times and is available in multiple languages. Through it, he provokes reflection about the resilience of communities the world over during the COVID-19 pandemic – about the potential good that came of it – which he frames as the great realization of 2020. As we gradually return to a life that resembles “normalcy” following the pandemic, and consider the challenges that were faced and, in many cases, continue to be fa ..read more

 © Zoe O’Neill Imagine you’ve just come out of an observed clinical encounter with a patient. You are eager to hear the positive feedback and constructive criticism from a supervisor. You sit down with your staff and they say: “You did a great job, but -” How would you feel? Let’s imagine instead they say: “You did a great job, and -” How would you feel now? On paper, the difference between “and” or “but” seems insignificant. They’re both 3 letters, one syllable, and are used to connect thoughts together. However, when used in conversation, the difference can be substantial. In the first ..read more

On our most recent podcast episode (to be released soon) with Dr. Justin Sanders, he told us that his best wellness tip for trainees in medicine was simple: to prioritize sleep. Even when there are tasks left on your to do list, or you feel like you haven’t been studying enough, prioritizing sleep can potentially transform your experience as a learner in medicine. What is the point of that extra hour of study when your brain is in no position to absorb or retain information? Dr. Matt Walker, a professor of Neuroscience at the University of California, Berkley, has published over one hundred ar ..read more

This guided meditation works with allowing for ongoing invitation of change. Change is a constant, so being comfortable with it and the emotions it can incite is important. Whether you are working through a change in season, or change in parts of your professional or personal lives, it is valuable to take a moment to recognize how transition is impacting us ..read more

© Zoe O’Neill In a podcast published in March of last year from “The science of happiness”, guest Chris Duffy goes through a practice that helps people tap into a sense of awe. Awe is an emotion often described as a combination of fear and surprise, with a component of wonder or amazement. Awe is often conjured by being surrounded by something vast that one doesn’t immediately understand (1). Creating space for a sense of awe can allow you to connect with feelings of gratitude and ultimately contribute to a greater sense of happiness (2). Scheduling time free of distractions to connect with a ..read more

For as long as illicit substances have been around, psychedelic drug users have reported transcendental, mystical-type experiences. According to researcher Roland Griffiths, these deeply meaningful events can result in profound personal transformations. Quantum change experiences, as Griffiths calls them, result in fundamental changes to a person’s prosocial attitudes and psychological well-being. Different from behavioural changes, which take time and effort to implement, Quantum change experiences occur rapidly and are long-lasting. But few research studies with psychedelics have recorded l ..read more

The Mindful Medical Learner · Fall to Winter Transition – Guided Meditation Seasonal change can have substantial impacts on our mood and wellbeing. Shorter days with less sunlight and colder weather may lead to feelings of low mood and energy that deserve attention. Light helps to regulate our circadian rhythm, and less vitamin D can lead to low energy and lower levels of serotonin release in the brain. Inspired by the recent change in season from autumn to winter, this guided meditation by Ana Clouatre allows for reflection about change in our moment to moment experience, and how the recent ..read more

Source In a recent article by Van Dam, Nicholas T et al. “Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation”, authors critically reviewed the research-scape surrounding mindfulness-based interventions. They raised multiple issues with the current state of evidence on the topic, notably misinterpretation of results and subsequent claims that the practise of meditation offers users a seemingly limitless panoply of health benefits for all kinds of afflictions. Here are some of the paper’s key points: Conducting Research on a Difficult-to-Defi ..read more