Healthy Debate publishes journalism about health care in Canada by the people whose lives it touches the most, from physicians, patients and caregivers to health journalists, academics, and advocates.

Healthy Debate is a platform that publishes journalism about healthcare in Canada, with a focus on providing a voice to those most affected by the healthcare system, including physicians, patients, caregivers, health journalists, academics, and advocates. By offering in-depth coverage of the inner workings and dysfunctions of the Canadian healthcare system, Healthy Debate facilitates learning, discussions, and debates about healthcare in Canada and encourages imagining what the system could potentially become.

For premed students preparing as future physicians, Healthy Debate can serve as an invaluable resource. By reading articles and opinions from a diverse range of healthcare insiders, students can gain a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the Canadian healthcare landscape. This exposure can help premed students develop empathy and awareness of various perspectives, which are essential qualities for future physicians.

By engaging with Healthy Debate, premed students can stay informed about current healthcare issues, policies, and innovations. This knowledge can help them prepare for medical school interviews and make informed decisions about their future careers. Moreover, it encourages critical thinking and promotes an understanding of the complexities of the healthcare system, which can contribute to shaping well-rounded, thoughtful, and compassionate physicians.

In summary, Healthy Debate is a valuable resource for premed students as it offers insights into the Canadian healthcare system through the perspectives of those directly involved. By engaging with the platform, students can develop a deeper understanding of healthcare challenges, foster empathy, and acquire essential knowledge to succeed as future physicians.

The Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) by Health Canada is a crucial concept for premed students to understand as it highlights the various personal, social, economic, and environmental factors that influence individual and population health. These factors include income, education, employment, childhood experiences, physical environments, social supports, coping skills, access to health services, biology, genetics, gender, culture, and race.

Understanding the SDOH is essential for premed students because it emphasizes the importance of considering a patient's social and economic context when providing medical care. By being familiar with the SDOH, future physicians can recognize and address health inequalities and work towards creating a more equitable healthcare system.

Health inequalities refer to differences in health status between individuals and groups, which can be due to genetics, lifestyle choices, or social determinants. Health inequity, on the other hand, refers to health inequalities that are unfair, unjust, and modifiable. Health equity seeks to reduce these inequalities and increase access to opportunities and conditions conducive to health for all.

Premed students can prepare as future physicians by integrating the knowledge of SDOH into their practice, advocating for policies that address these determinants, and working collaboratively with other sectors to improve health equity. By acknowledging and addressing the SDOH, premed students can develop a more holistic, patient-centered approach to medicine, ultimately improving patient outcomes and reducing health disparities within the population.

When we need help, we count on doctors to put us back together. But what happens when doctors fall apart?

Funny, fresh, and deeply affecting, We Are All Perfectly Fine is the story of a married mother of three on the brink of personal and professional collapse who attends rehab with a twist: a meditation retreat for burned-out doctors.

"One of the premiere books on what it means to be a physician and the toll it has on the soul. If you want to talk about burnout and the hard truth of being a doctor, read this. Learn from Jillian Horton, a Canadian internist, and her struggles in the Canadian medical system from the outside and inside." - Eric

We Are All Perfectly Fine: A Memoir of Love, Medicine and Healing, penned by Dr. Jillian Horton, is an insightful and candid account of a physician's journey through the challenges and pressures of the medical profession. The book documents her experience at a meditation retreat for burned-out doctors, where she uncovers the systemic issues that contribute to physician burnout and the importance of compassion in healing oneself and others.

For premed students, this memoir provides an honest look at the often unspoken emotional and mental toll that a career in medicine can take on healthcare professionals. By delving into Dr. Horton's personal struggles and those of her fellow retreat attendees, the book sheds light on the rarely acknowledged stresses that can lead to depression and even suicide among physicians. Through this understanding, future doctors can better prepare themselves for the reality of practicing medicine and the importance of self-care and emotional well-being.

The memoir also emphasizes the need for physicians to embrace compassion, not just in treating patients but also in caring for themselves. By acknowledging and addressing the challenging emotions that come with the medical profession, doctors can find a path to healing and resilience.

In essence, We Are All Perfectly Fine serves as a powerful reminder to premed students of the importance of self-awareness, self-compassion, and emotional intelligence in their journey to becoming competent and empathetic physicians. By learning from Dr. Horton's experiences, students can cultivate a greater understanding of the challenges and rewards of a career in medicine and strive to prioritize their own well-being along with that of their patients.