White Coat, Black Art on CBC Radio

The hit TV show 'The Good Doctor' is about a surgeon on the autism spectrum. But JJ Mracek is the real deal. The resident physician has finally found her calling in pathology where she can use her super power of pursuing justice. But she had to overcome severe setbacks in medical school and a rough residency in Internal Medicine, almost quitting the profession altogether.

The Acute Hospital At Home program in Oxford, England keeps patients in their own homes, who might otherwise be admitted to hospital. Professor Dan Lasserson takes Dr. Brian Goldman on the road to show how they bring effective and safe hospital care right into patients’ homes.

Like Canada’s publicly funded healthcare system, the UK’s National Health Service is in crisis. Overcrowded ERs are groaning with patients, there aren’t enough hospital beds and people are paying for some elective surgeries at private facilities. Nurses, ambulance workers and junior doctors are striking. Dr. Brian Goldman takes a guided tour of a hospital in Reading, England to hear their lessons for Canada.

85-year-old Ron Robert graduated from King's University College at Western University last fall despite being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. He's fit and wiry with a strong handgrip. He’s also got a surprising grip on living with dementia. His insight may help us understand a bit more about how to live with this terrible disease.

We think nothing today of calling healthcare workers “front line workers,” engaged in a “battle” against disease. But the roots of the war metaphor in medicine go a long way back ⁠— entrenched by pop culture icons like the TV show M*A*S*H and Hawkeye’s army. Dr. Jillian Horton explores a less heroic but healthier work environment for doctors and health professionals. Hear more IDEAS episodes where you get your podcasts.

The impact of delayed surgery on Nathan Gilson. He’s a sixteen-year old whose surgery to correct severe scoliosis was postponed five times.

The federal government has offered billions to help fund an ailing healthcare system. Help can’t come soon enough for a system that many say is in a state of crisis, if not collapse. Take home care. Nearly one million Canadians rely on it and another half a million will need it within the decade. But the care people are receiving is far less than what they need. We go into three people's homes to bring you their stories.

Scott Hedlund and David Broman design, build, fit and fix prosthetic appliances like artificial limbs. They talk about the challenges and joys of their jobs.

A look at virtual medical appointments. The pendulum is swinging back to in-person visits. But some Canadians say virtual clinics are filling a huge and growing gap in our health care system.

Primary care providers don’t always recognize menopause symptoms for what they are, focusing instead on whether they’re a sign of a more serious problem. And not all know that menopausal hormone therapy is a safe and effective treatment for many women. We explain why that’s the case, and the range of treatments that can help women.