On June 11th, the first event on the topic of family planning was hosted at the McIntyre Medical Building. Supported by the Department of Surgery and sponsored by Boston Scientific, the event was put together by motivated residents and staff from across the surgical disciplines (Natasha Caminsky 鈥� R5 General Surgery; Anna Wang 鈥� CIP3 General Surgery; Rita Piccioni - Senior Administrator General Surgery; Elie Girsowicz 鈥� Vascular Surgery; Sonia Macfarlane 鈥� Obstetrics and Gynaecology; Sinziana Dumitra 鈥� General Surgery; Jean-S茅bastien Pelletier 鈥� General Surgery).
The event was comprised of 4 sessions, each covering important topics related to family planning in the context of surgery (both for trainees and staff) led by an expert and complemented by testimonials from trainees and staff. The topics included: Fertility 101, complications specific to surgeons and surgical trainees, radiation safety in the context of fertility, and knowing your rights.
The organizers would like to sincerely thank the individuals who volunteered their time on a weeknight to share their expertise (Dr. Karen Buzaglo, Dr. Peter Chan, Dr. Sonia Macfarlane, and Dr. Francine Dinelle) as well as their personal experiences (Dr. Natasha Caminsky, Dr. Amin Andalib, Dr. Sinziana Dumitra, Dr. Lucy Luo, Dr. Laura Drudi, and Dr. Stephanie Wong).
We look forward to hopefully hosting the 2nd iteration of this event in 2 years鈥� time.
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Testimonials
鈥淭he family planning event was incredibly informative and offered honest, practical advice that will be valuable to me as I move through my residency. I really appreciated how open and safe the space felt, allowing for conversations that we don鈥檛 often get to have in surgical training. It gave me a lot to reflect on and helped me feel more prepared for future decisions I will make. I truly hope this event continues in the years to come.鈥�
-听Jillian Schneidman (incoming General Surgery resident)
鈥淚 thought it was an excellent event and was impressed not only by the information shared, but by the courage of those who shared their experiences with fertility challenges. The presentations were both informative and supportive.鈥�
-听Shannon Fraser (General Surgeon, Jewish General Hospital)
鈥淎ttending the family planning event was a valuable experience which shed light on an often-overlooked topic. The discussions were thoughtful, supportive, and relevant to both personal and professional life. I'm grateful for the opportunity to attend and would definitely participate again in the future if I had the chance!鈥�
-听Morgan Gold (Vascular Surgery resident)