The Doc Talk Podcast

In this episode, we’re tackling a question that feels increasingly common and increasingly urgent: If you don’t have a family doctor and you’re getting your health advice online, how do you know who to trust? With nearly nine in ten Canadians turning to the internet for health information, this isn’t surprising. Access to care is limited for many, and people are looking for answers wherever they can find them. But what we’re seeing in clinic and in the ER is that misinformation is no longer h...

HPV is common. Cancer is not inevitable. In this episode, we break down Human Papillomavirus (HPV), what it actually means if your test is positive, and how vaccination and screening can prevent most HPV-related cancers. About 75–80% of sexually active people will be exposed to HPV at some point. Most infections clear on their own. But certain high-risk strains can persist and increase cancer risk over time. In Canada, approximately 1,550 people are diagnosed with cervical cancer each...

For International Women’s Day, we’re tackling a difficult but important question: are women’s symptoms being dismissed in healthcare? Research shows that women experience higher rates of missed and delayed diagnoses for several major conditions. Women under 55 are more likely than men to be misdiagnosed during a heart attack. Endometriosis takes an average of 7–10 years to diagnose. And women account for roughly 75–80% of autoimmune disease cases, often after years of unexplained symptoms. So...

In light of Heart Month, The Doc Talk Podcast is dropping a special re-release of our episode on heart health. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in Canada. In this episode of The Doc Talk Podcast, we dive into what heart disease can look like in women, how it’s too often overlooked, and what you can do to protect yourself and those you love. We kick off with a listener question from Kellie, who asks: “What does the research say about how heart disease shows up differently ...

Blood clots are common, often preventable, and still widely misunderstood. In this episode, Dr. Sheila Wijayasinghe and Dr. Shazma Mithani unpack what people actually need to know about deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), conditions we see every day in clinic and the ER. We talk through real-world risk factors, symptoms that should never be ignored, and why clots don’t always present in obvious or dramatic ways. We also cover practical prevention strategies, how clots are ...

This is our last episode breaking down the Pitt and we’re closing this chapter with an episode we’re really proud of. As always, we watch through two clinical lenses as Dr. Shaz as an emergency physician giving us the actual behind the scene truths. We dig into the emergency medicine moments that stood out, the intense cases, the new characters, and yes… Dr. Robbie’s no-helmet choices. What felt real, what felt like TV, and what life in the ER actually looks like behind the scenes. Thank you ...

As cold and flu season ramps up, coughs and breathing concerns are one of the most common reasons people seek medical care. In this episode, Dr. Shazma Mithani and Dr. Sheila Wijayasinghe break down how to think about coughs during respiratory season, when antibiotics are helpful, and how to manage symptoms safely while your body recovers. In this episode, we discuss: Why most coughs during cold and flu season are not treated with antibioticsSituations where antibiotics may be appropriateRed ...

The holidays look cozy online, but in clinics and emergency rooms, this time of year can be really hard if you're sick or injured. In this episode, we break down what actually spikes over the holidays: GI flare-ups, slips and falls, viral illnesses, alcohol-related issues, and the mental load that quietly pushes people to the brink. We talk through what’s common, what’s preventable, when to seek care, and how a simple home health kit can save you hours in a packed ER. Plus: vaccination remind...

The holidays are around the corner, and for many people, that means more conversations about drinking. In this episode, Shazma and Sheila answer a listener question, explore what the newest evidence says about alcohol, and reflect on how it shows up in real life, especially in midlife, perimenopause, and sleep. We break it all down with clarity and zero judgment. This is a practical, compassionate conversation meant to help you understand your own relationship with alcohol and make info...

In this special episode, we're tackling a skin condition that affects 1 in 5 Canadian children: eczema. From the very first patch to long-term management, we’re breaking it all down with one of Canada’s leading pediatric dermatologists. We explore why eczema happens, what flare-ups really mean, what role genetics and the environment play, and whether kids can grow out of it. Plus, we answer the questions you’ve been sending us: What helps before prescriptions? What about food triggers? And wh...

In this episode, Dr. Shazma Mithani and Dr. Sheila Wijayasinghe tackle one of the scariest moments for parents — when a child has a seizure during a fever. They break down what febrile seizures are, why they happen, what to do in the moment, and when to seek medical care. What We Cover: What febrile seizures are and how they differ from epilepsyWhy they happen — and why it’s the rapid rise in temperature, not the height of the fever, that mattersWhat they look like, including how to tell a si...

Fever is one of the most common reasons parents bring their children to the ER and family medicine clinic. We break down what every parent should know about fevers in kids: when to worry, when to relax, and how to keep your child comfortable at home. We cover what counts as a fever, why fevers happen, why kids get them more often than adults, and when it’s time to see a doctor. They also bust some of the biggest myths, including whether fever causes brain damage or needs to be “treated” every...

ER wait times in Canada are longer than ever, but many visits are preventable. In this episode, we break down the red flags that do require the ER, the common injuries and habits that don’t, and practical ways to stay out of hospital. From slips and falls to screenings, vaccines, and mental health, this is your guide to avoiding unnecessary emergencies. If you haven’t yet, check out Avoiding the ER – Kids Edition (episode 4) from Season 1, one of our most popular episodes. This episode is bro...