In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Giovanna Sirianni and Dr. Jeremy Edwards, a physician couple navigating careers in family medicine and cardiology. Dr. Sirianni shares insights from her extensive work in palliative care, medical education, and research, while Dr. Edwards discusses his path in cardiology and his passion for supporting medical learners.

We explore their journeys through medical training, family planning as dual-physician partners, and the challenges of balancing professional and personal lives. Tune in for an engaging conversation about mentorship, career growth, and the evolving culture of medicine.

Dr. Sirianni is a family physician with a focused practice in palliative care, an Associate Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, a medical educator and About Empathy Podcast co-creator. Dr. Sirianni has held multiple educational leadership roles including as Enhanced Skills (PGY-3) Program Director, Palliative Care Program Director, Faculty Development Lead and Workplace Based Assessment Lead for the MD Program at the University of Toronto. Throughout her medical education leadership career, she has been engaged in scholarship and research with publications in CMAJ, Medical Teacher and Canadian Family Physician among others. In 2024 Dr. Sirianni was named as an AMS Fellow in Compassion and Artificial Intelligence.

Dr. Edwards earned undergraduate degrees in electrical engineering and medicine at the University of Toronto before going on to complete postgraduate training in internal medicine and cardiology. Subsequently, he completed a two year fellowship in echocardiography at St. Michael’s Hospital. He joined the Department of Medicine at St. Michael’s Hospital, University of Toronto in 2011 as an Adult Cardiologist with a clinical interest in valvular heart disease and interventional echocardiography. He has held a number of medical education leadership roles prior to becoming Academy Director in October 2021. He is passionate about supporting and empowering medical learners to succeed at achieving their individual goals.

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In this episode, we chat with Dr. Silver, a staff psychiatrist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, to discuss the realities of balancing a career in medicine with motherhood. From navigating maternity leave in residency to managing the demands of clinical work and family life, Dr. Silver shares her insights on resilience, support systems, and systemic changes needed to better accommodate parents in medicine.

Dr. Silver attended McMaster University for Medical School and completed her Psychiatry Residency training at the University of Toronto. As a staff psychiatrist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, her clinical interests lie in the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders and in the delivery of urgent psychiatric care. As a Clinician Teacher, she is actively involved in teaching residents and medical students.

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In this episode, we chat with Dr. Phillips! Dr Dana Phillips is from Philadelphia and completed her undergraduate medical training at the University of Pennsylvania and her residency in Emergency Medicine at Temple University Hospital in North Philadelphia. In 2018, she relocated to Toronto with her husband. She is an emergency physician at Sunnybrook and an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto. She is passionate about medical education and is the Director of Undergraduate Medical Education for the Sunnybrook ED and a member of the ED FRCP residency program's competence committee. Her clinical interests include cardiovascular emergencies and outside of work she cherishes time with her three children, ages 4, 2, and 1, is an avid runner, and maintains a strong passion for Philadelphia sports.

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In this episode, we chat with Dr. Teo, a family medicine resident at McMaster University. She completed medical school at the University of Toronto in 2024. Prior to medical school, she practiced as a pharmacist. She is a mother to 3 children – a 7-year-old and a set of 5-year-old twins. In her spare time, she enjoys dancing, woodworking and organizing / re-organizing her home (with very limited success).

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