#135 Part 1: Why Fertility Preservation Must Be a Health System Priority

Deciding if and when to have children can be a major challenge and is even more difficult when facing the unrelenting pace of medical training. Long hours, rigid schedules, financial strain, and unspoken expectations often push family planning to the sidelines. In this episode, Sonika and Julia explore the realities of family planning and fertility preservation for medical trainees at different career stages. For an early career perspective, Sonika and Julia talk with Dr. Lauren Pickel, a first-year urology resident, who reflects on how little formal education she received around fertility and family planning while in medical school. She discusses how this education gap can significantly shape both personal and professional decisions. Looking at a later career medical professional, Sonika and Julia interview Dr. Niro Sivachandra, a retinal surgeon and clinician-scientist, who shares her experience regarding having children during residency, and how supportive leadership can help improve quality of life for many physicians and their families. Together, our guests unpack their hidden barriers, from fears about burdening colleagues to discouragement from following certain medical specialties. They emphasize the importance of workplace culture and policies which are supportive to both career and family development. Tune in for a frank and thought-provoking conversation about why family planning needs a place in medical education.

Thank you to our production team: Sonika Kumari and Julia Wong (Show Hosts), Tesam Ahmed (Content Creator), Emily Forster (Science Writer), Angela Dela Cruz (Audio Editing), Saleena Zedan (Graphic design and Promotions), and Nicole Chu (Executive Producer).

Thank you to the Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto for the support in this episode production.