What does it take to build a successful career in medicine without losing sight of your personal life?

In this episode of Doctors Unscripted, host Dr. Nadia Giannetti sits down with Dr. Victoria Mandilaras, a medical oncologist at the McGill University Health Centre who specializes in gynecologic and gastrointestinal cancers.

Dr. Mandilaras shares insights into her rapid career progression and what it takes to succeed in a highly competitive field like oncology. Together, she and Dr. Giannetti explore the realities of work-life balance in medicine, including the pressures that come with ambition, achievement, and the expectations placed on physicians, particularly women.

The conversation also dives into an increasingly important topic for young female doctors: fertility preservation. Dr. Mandilaras discusses the considerations, challenges, and evolving options available to women in medicine who are navigating both career growth and family planning.

If you are a medical student, resident, or practicing physician thinking about how to build a meaningful career while maintaining personal priorities, this episode offers an honest and timely perspective.

To learn more about how the MUHC Foundation supports life-changing research and patient care at the MUHC, visit: muhcfoundation.com

In this episode of Doctors Unscripted, host Dr. Nadia Giannetti sits down with Dr. Liane Feldman, Edward W. Archibald Professor and Chair of the Department of Surgery at McGill University and Surgeon-in-Chief at the McGill University Health Centre.

Dr. Feldman is an internationally recognized leader in minimally invasive gastrointestinal surgery and enhanced recovery after surgery. Her patient-centered research focuses on improving surgical recovery, optimizing perioperative care processes, and using technology to enhance operative performance. She founded a multidisciplinary enhanced recovery program at the MUHC that was recognized by Accreditation Canada as a leading practice. She currently serves as President of the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons and has held leadership roles across major surgical organizations in Canada and the United States.

In this candid conversation, Dr. Feldman reflects on how she chose surgery as her specialty, what draws physicians to the intensity and precision of the operating room, and the mindset required to thrive in a demanding surgical career. She also shares how she prioritizes her own well-being, maintains balance, and sustains longevity in a high-performance field.

If you are a medical student considering surgery, a clinician navigating leadership, or simply curious about what drives those at the top of their field, this episode offers insight into the discipline, humanity, and resilience behind surgical excellence.

To learn more about how the MUHC Foundation supports life-changing research and patient care at the MUHC, visit: muhcfoundation.com

What does it take to turn a medical idea into a device that can actually be used by patients around the world?

In this episode of Doctors Unscripted, host Dr. Nadia Giannetti sits down with Dr. Yen‑I Chen, Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at McGill University and researcher in the Division of Gastroenterology at the McGill University Health Centre.

Dr. Chen offers a behind-the-scenes look at medical innovation, from conducting clinical research to navigating patents, regulatory approvals, and the complex process of getting medical devices cleared for use across different countries. Together, he and Dr. Giannetti discuss what physicians are rarely taught about commercialization, regulation, and translating research into real-world impact.

The conversation also turns to the personal side of life in academic medicine. Dr. Chen reflects on balancing the demands of being a clinician, researcher, and parent, and how defining priorities early can help create a sustainable and fulfilling career.

If you’re curious about how medical research moves beyond the lab, what it takes to bring new technologies to patients, and how doctors navigate ambition alongside family life, this episode offers an honest and insightful perspective.

To learn more about how the MUHC Foundation supports life-changing research and patient care at the MUHC, visit: muhcfoundation.com

What happens when doctors step outside their comfort zone (and even their hometown) to learn how medicine is practiced elsewhere?

In this episode of Doctors Unscripted, host Dr. Nadia Giannetti sits down with Dr. Rita Suri, Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Nephrology at the McGill University Health Centre.

Dr. Suri shares why training outside your home institution can be transformative for young physicians. She reflects on how exposure to different healthcare systems across Canada and around the world shaped her approach to patient care, leadership, and research, and why bringing that knowledge back home ultimately benefits patients and institutions alike.

The conversation also explores Dr. Suri’s research focus on improving health outcomes and quality of life for patients with end-stage kidney failure receiving hemodialysis, as well as the importance of being intentional about career choices. Together, she and Dr. Giannetti discuss how physicians can better understand what they want from both their professional and personal lives, and how mapping out goals early can help create a more fulfilling career in medicine.

If you’re a medical student, resident, or practicing clinician thinking about where, and how, you want to build your career, this episode offers thoughtful insight into growth, purpose, and long-term vision in medicine.

To learn more about how the MUHC Foundation supports life-changing research and patient care at the MUHC, visit: muhcfoundation.com

What can pregnancy teach us about a woman’s long-term heart health? And, what does it look like to build a medical career while raising a family at the same time?

In this episode of Doctors Unscripted, host Dr. Nadia Giannetti, Cardiologist and Associate Physician-in-Chief at the McGill University Health Centre, sits down with Dr. Natalie Dayan, Director of Obstetrical Medicine at the MUHC, Assistant Professor of Medicine at McGill, and attending physician whose work is reshaping our understanding of cardiometabolic health in the postpartum period.

Dr. Dayan and Dr. Giannetti discuss her research on pregnancy outcomes in women with chronic conditions like obesity, hypertension, and heart disease, as well as her investigations into why pregnancy complications can raise cardiovascular risk later in life.

They also discuss the realities of navigating work–life balance as a physician-scientist and mother of three, from managing demanding clinical schedules to being fully present at home.

If you’re curious about the intersection of women’s health, cardiometabolic research, and the personal stories that shape medical careers, this candid conversation offers a thoughtful and relatable look behind the scenes.

To learn more about how the MUHC Foundation supports life-changing research and patient care at the MUHC, visit: muhcfoundation.com

What does it take to build a life in medicine that spans continents, disciplines, and generations?

In this episode of Doctors Unscripted, host Dr. Nadia Giannetti, Cardiologist and Associate Physician-in-Chief at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), sits down with Dr. Patrick Lawler, a cardiologist and critical care physician whose path to medicine began in Boston.

From his Fulbright scholarship at Sweden’s world-renowned Karolinska Institute, to medical school at McGill University, and advanced training at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dr. Lawler’s career has been defined by curiosity, excellence, and a deep commitment to patient care.

Together, Dr. Giannetti and Dr. Lawler explore how early influences shaped his approach to medicine, the pivotal choices that guided his training, and what it’s like to balance a demanding career in cardiology with family life alongside his wife, who herself is a pediatric cardiologist.

To learn more about how the MUHC Foundation supports life-changing research and patient care at the MUHC, visit: muhcfoundation.com

What does it take to push the boundaries of pulmonary medicine while balancing the realities of life outside the hospital?

In this episode of Doctors Unscripted, host Dr. Nadia Giannetti, Cardiologist and Associate-Physician-in-Chief at the MUHC, sits down with Dr. Anne Gonzalez, a pulmonary and critical care physician at the McGill University Health Centre. With advanced training in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, as well as Interventional Pulmonary Medicine, Dr. Gonzalez’s work focuses on the investigation of patients with lung cancer, from first suspicions to treatment decisions, and the evaluation of novel interventional techniques such as advanced bronchoscopy and pleural procedures.

Together, Dr. Giannetti and Dr. Gonzalez explore the pivotal choices that shape a medical career, from deciding whether to head straight to med school or pursue further education, to staying at the forefront of innovation in pulmonary care. Dr. Gonzalez also shares her perspective on balancing clinical practice with family life, and why that balance often looks different for women in medicine.

If you’re curious about the cutting edge of pulmonary care, the sacrifices behind a doctor’s path, and the human side of life in medicine, this candid conversation is for you.

To learn more about how the MUHC Foundation supports life-changing research and patient care at the MUHC, visit: muhcfoundation.com

What drives a doctor to dedicate their life not just to treating patients, but to uncovering the very mysteries of the human immune system?

In this first episode of Doctors Unscripted, host Dr. Nadia Giannetti, Cardiologist and Associate-Physician-in-Chief at the MUHC, sits down with Dr. Donald Vinh, clinician in the Infectious Diseases Division at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) and leading scientist in the Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health Program at the RI-MUHC.

While Dr. Vinh is known internationally for his groundbreaking work on genetic defects of immunity and their role in infectious disease, this conversation goes beyond the lab and the clinic. He shares what inspired him to pursue medicine, how he continues to push forward in the face of challenges, and what it means to balance scientific discovery with family life.

If you’ve ever wondered what fuels the passion behind a career in medicine, from the personal sacrifices to the moments of inspiration, this conversation offers an honest and deeply human look at one Montreal doctor’s journey.

To learn more about how the MUHC Foundation supports life-changing research and patient care at the MUHC, visit: muhcfoundation.com