Episodes
Oct. 4, 2026
Why do I feel sad sometimes?
In this episode we talk about why we feel different emotions and why it’s important to talk about those feelings. We also meet a doctor who can help us if we are having a hard time understanding different feelings.
Oct. 4, 2026
How do I blow out a birthday candle?
In this episode we discuss the part of our body that helps us blow out birthday candles, and the special doctor that looks after them.
Oct. 4, 2026
Why does my heart beat?
In this episode we talk about why our heart beats and the special doctor who looks after our hearts.
Oct. 4, 2026
Why do I Need to get my Shots?
In this episode we talk about why it’s important to get your vaccines and the special doctor that studies vaccines and the diseases they can help.
Oct. 4, 2026
Why Does Food Taste Good?
in this episode of Surgery ABCs we talk about why food tastes good or bad and the doctor who helps look after these parts of our bodies.
Oct. 4, 2026
Why am I Ticklish?
In this episode we discuss why we are ticklish and who the special doctor is that looks after the body parts that can make us feel ticklish.
Oct. 4, 2026
Why is our Pee Yellow?
In this episode we discuss why our pee is yellow and who the special doctor is that looks after the body parts that make pee.
Oct. 4, 2026
Why do my Teeth Fall Out?
In this episode we discuss why our teeth fall out and who the special doctor is that looks after our teeth.
Oct. 4, 2026
Why do we Fart?
In this episode we discuss what is happening inside our bodies when we fart. Special guest Colorectal Surgeon Dr. Jonathan White.
Oct. 4, 2026
Why Does My Stomach Rumble?
In this episode we discuss why your stomach sometimes makes loud sounds and what happens to food inside your stomach.
Oct. 2, 2026
Reproductive Care 2 – Basics on Labour and Delivery
In this episode, we will cover the basics of labour and delivery, low-risk and high-risk pregnancies and the basics you need to know if faced with an emergency delivery like on an airplane! After listening to this podcast, students will be able to: Describe how to perform initial assessment of a labour patient, distinguish false from true labour, evaluate labour progress, and apply appropriate fetal and maternal monitoring techniques. Describe and manage the stages of normal labour and delive...
Oct. 2, 2026
Prenatal Reproductive Care 1 – Prenatal Basics
In this episode, we’ll walk through the structure of prenatal visits, the timeline of investigations, trimester-specific considerations, and the rationale behind medications and routine testing. By the end of this podcast, learners will be able to: Describe the timeline and structure of prenatal care visits. List the key investigations done at each stage of pregnancy. Outline the routine prenatal screening and imaging. Explain which medications and interventions are commonly recommended in ...
Aug. 5, 2026
Reproductive Care 3 – Common Conditions Encountered in Pregnancy
Today, we will be covering common medical complications of pregnancy including various blood pressure disorders, gestational diabetes and intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. After this episode, learners will be able to:
Describe the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, including key risk factors, diagnostic criteria, and first line management. Explain gestational diabetes mellitus, including risk factors, diagnostic approach, and evidence-based management. Discuss intrahepatic cholestas...
Aug. 5, 2026
Reproductive Care - Common Conditions Encountered in Pregnancy - Part 3
Reproductive Care - Common Conditions Encountered in Pregnancy - Part 3
May 13, 2026
Surgical Management of Rectal Cancer – Part 2
After listening to this podcast, learners will be able to: 1. Describe the anatomy and blood supply of the distal colon and rectum. 2. List what is resected and what is reconnected during a low anterior resection. 3. Describe the major differences between a low anterior resection and an abdominoperineal resection, and the indications for each. 4. Outline risk factors for anastomotic leak after a low anterior resection.
May 11, 2026
Surgical Management of Colorectal Cancer – Part 1
After listening to this podcast, learners will be able to: 1. Describe the anatomy and blood supply of the proximal colon. 2. Outline the principles of resection for colon cancer. 3. List what is resected and what is reconnected during a right hemicolectomy. 4. Describe what is required for a successful anastomosis in colorectal surgery.
April 29, 2026
Recognizing Stomas
After listening to this podcast, learners will be able to: 1. Describe different types of stomas, including ileostomy, colostomy, urostomy, and mucus fistula. 2. Explain the indications for a permanent versus temporary ostomy. 3. Evaluate the type of stoma a patient has based on clinical history, location, appearance, and output.
April 22, 2026
Laryngeal Cancer
Today, we’re going to discuss the topic of laryngeal cancer, a difficult head and neck cancer which has significantly improved prognosis if caught early. Laryngeal cancer is a type of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, or HNSCC for short. It typically arises from the epithelial lining of the larynx. After listening to this podcast, learners will be able to understand what laryngeal cancer is, risk factors of laryngeal cancer, common presentations of laryngeal cancer, basics of its diagnosi...
April 15, 2026
Neck Dissection
After listening to this podcast, you should be able to: Describe the basic anatomy of lymph nodes in the neck List 4 different types of neck dissections, and what they entail Be able to identify common complications of neck dissection Outline the initial management of the common complications of neck dissection
Feb. 11, 2026
Beyond the Horizon: Ongoing Innovations and the Future of Endoscopy
The close of the 20th century saw endoscopy and laparoscopy evolve from passive optical tools into dynamic platforms that integrated real-time guidance, autonomous movement, and computational interpretation for navigation, diagnosis, and therapy.
Feb. 4, 2026
From Fiber to Video: The Visual Revolution in Endoscopy and Laparoscopy
By the mid-20th century, endoscopy’s long-standing challenge of safely illuminating internal structures was transformed by postwar advances—especially Harold Hopkins’s 1950s rod-lens system, which enabled brighter, distortion-free, miniaturized imaging that could reliably guide clinical decisions.
Jan. 21, 2026
The Fiberoptic Breakthrough: Hopkins, Hirschowitz, and the Flexible Scope
By the mid-20th century, endoscopy and laparoscopy were ready for major advancement. Although instruments had evolved into semi-flexible designs, visualization was still limited by glass optics and heat-producing light sources. A breakthrough toward fully flexible, high-resolution imaging emerged through the combined demands of surgery and advances in optical physics, driven by the pioneering work of Harold Hopkins and Basil Hirschowitz.
Jan. 14, 2026
The Semiflexible Era: Schindler and the Pre-Fiberoptic Revolution
By the early 20th century, endoscopy had evolved from candle-lit brass tubes into electrically illuminated rigid instruments. The decisive shift toward flexibility — the stage upon which Rudolf Schindler would make his contribution — was the product of several converging advances in optics, illumination, and instrument design that began in the late 19th century.
Jan. 7, 2026
From Mirrors to Incandescent Bulbs: The 19th- Century Leap
By the mid-19th century, improvements in illumination and optics transformed endoscopy from a theoretical idea into a practical clinical tool, culminating in Antoine Jean Desormeaux’s work in Paris in 1853. Building on Bozzini’s Lichtleiter and frustrated by diagnostic limits of palpation, Desormeaux replaced candlelight with a brighter, controllable source known as the gazogène.