MAY 29
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM ET

Dr. Rhonda Zwingerman
Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Specialist, Co-Founder, & Medical Director @ Twig Fertility

Objectives:
To discuss how you can support patients with common fertility concerns and challenges in your practice. We will cover the following: (1) Patients interested in proactive fertility testing or egg freezing, (2) Pre-conception counselling and optimizing natural conception, (3) Approach to oligomenorrhea or secondary amenorrhea. We will also review when to refer to a fertility clinic for further workup and management.

Co-founder and Medical Director of Twig Fertility, Dr. Rhonda Zwingerman is a physician and reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI) specialist. She completed medical school at Queen’s University, OBGYN residency at the University of Alberta, and her Masters and REI fellowship at the University of Toronto. She is committed to modernizing fertility care through the use of best-in-class technologies and to creating clinics that provide people with comprehensive and compassionate fertility care. An avid musical theatre buff, Dr. Zwingerman sits on the board of the Musical Stage Company, Canada’s leading and largest non-profit dedicated to musical theatre. When not working, spending time with her family or at the theatre, she’s planning her next theatre-related trip to NYC.

To access the recording of this session, click here.

JUNE 26
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM ET

Dr. Jennifer Gunter
OB/GYN & International Bestselling Author

Objectives:
Half of the world's population will go through menopause, yet it remains shrouded in mystery, so many women enter this phase of their lives feeling completely unprepared. In addition, there are major gaps due to inadequate research gaps, lack of training among health care providers, misinformation, and sexism that can all prevent women from getting the effective care they need. With this seminar, the participant will come away with key knowledge about the basics of menopause, learn insights into the gaps in care, and understand key management strategies. Menopause shouldn't be a mystery, and medical professionals can and should help close the gaps in knowledge and care!

Dr. Jen Gunter is an internationally bestselling author, obstetrician, and gynecologist with more than three decades of experience as a vulvar and vaginal diseases expert. Her bestselling books, The Vagina Bible and The Menopause Manifesto, have been translated into 25 languages. She has a blog called The Vajenda, is the host of Jensplaining, a CBC/Amazon Prime video series that highlights the impact of medical misinformation on women, and is the recipient of the 2020 Media Award from The Menopause Society. Her TED Talk, “Why Can’t We Talk About Periods?” was the third most viewed TED Talk of 2020, leading to the launch of her popular podcast on the TED Audio Collective, “Body Stuff with Dr. Jen Gunter.” She can be found online at www.thevajenda.com.

To access the recording of this session, click here.

JULY 31
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM ET

Dr. Jamie Kroft
OB/GYN & Deputy Chief @ Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Objectives:
This session will provide an up-to-date, practical summary on the management of endometriosis for the primary care provider. This important condition affects about 10% of reproductive-aged women and can cause significant pain and infertility, negatively impacting quality of life and productivity. The average time to diagnosis is unfortunately about 9-10 years. The aim of this session will be to improve patient care by outlining the key components on history, physical exam, bloodwork and imaging for the diagnosis of endometriosis as well as to provide an evidence-based management strategy. An update on new medical treatments available will be highlighted. Tips on when and why a patient should be referred to a specialist will also be explored. A brief overview of surgical treatment approaches will be reviewed so that you can advocate for your patients when they are seeking surgical management.

Dr. Kroft is the Deputy Chief of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto. She specializes in minimally invasive gynaecologic surgery. Her clinical practice focuses on the treatment of endometriosis. She completed her residency at the University of Toronto and her fellowship at Sunnybrook, certified through the American Association of Gynaecologic Laparoscopists. She is part of the fellowship training program for gynaecologic laparoscopy at Sunnybrook. She completed her Masters in Clinical Epidemiology at McMaster University and conducts clinical research mostly investigating surgical outcomes as well as surgical education. She is the current President of the Canadian Society for the Advancement of Gynaecologic Excellence and is also part of EndoAct Canada, a task force aimed at improving care for patients living with endometriosis in Canada. Dr. Kroft is committed to raising awareness and educating health care providers and patients about endometriosis and the treatments available.

To access the recording of this session, click here.

AUGUST 28
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM ET

Dr. David Lim
Breast Surgical Oncologist & Medical Director @ Henrietta Banting Breast Centre, Women’s College Hospital | Surgeon-Scientist @ Women’s College Research Institute

Objectives:
This session will provide attendees with detailed updates on breast screening, benign breast conditions, breast cancer, and survivorship.

Dr. David Lim is a breast surgical oncologist at Women’s College Hospital and a surgeon-scientist based at Women’s College Research Institute. Dr. David Lim is the Medical Director of the Henrietta Banting Breast Centre at Women’s College Hospital. He is also an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery (Division of General Surgery) of the University of Toronto Temerty Faculty of Medicine. His clinical research program is focused on understanding and improving outcomes for patients with breast cancer. His areas of research focus include patient-reported outcomes/patient experience, surgical decision-making including contralateral prophylactic mastectomy and implications of neoadjuvant therapy, treatment de-escalation, outcomes after ambulatory breast surgery, disparities in cancer care and lobular breast cancer. Dr. Lim’s research is supported by a 2024 Terry Fox Research Institute New Investigator Award and the Canadian Cancer Society Chair in Breast Cancer Research at Women’s College Research Institute.

To access the recording of this session, click here.

SEPTEMBER 25
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM ET

Dr. Michelle Jacobson
Director @ Familial Ovarian Cancer Clinic, Women’s College Hospital | OB/GYN @ Mount Sinai Hospital

Objectives:
This session will offer attendees insights on pertinent high-risk genes for hereditary gynecological cancers, as well as guidance on recognizing a high-risk genetic history and interpreting genetic test results.

Dr. Michelle Jacobson is a menopause specialist at Women’s College and Mount Sinai Hospitals in Toronto where she directs the familial ovarian cancer clinic. She did her residency at McMaster university and fellowship in Menopause at the University of Toronto, followed by a Masters of Health Science in translational research. She is the creator and director of the SOGC’s community of practice in Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer and the primary author of the guidelines on the Gynaecologic Management of Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer and Breast Cancer and Menopause.

To access the recording of this session, click here.

OCTOBER 30
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM ET

Dr. Kristin Harris
OB/GYN & Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist @ Mount Sinai Hospital

Objectives:
This session will provide attendees with an overview of managing iron deficiency anemia, hypertension, and gestational diabetes during pregnancy and postpartum in primary care, as well as guidance on when to refer for specialist care.

Dr. Kristin Harris completed her medical school and residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Toronto. Following her residency, she completed a two-year Royal College accredited fellowship in Maternal Fetal Medicine at the University of Toronto. Kristin began her career with the team at St. Michael's Hospital where she worked at Humber River Regional Hospital as part of a collaborative effort to bring access to high risk obstetrical care closer to patients and their community.​ She transitioned to Mount Sinai Hospital in 2023 to provide care and leadership with the Obesity in Pregnancy and Complex Obstetrical Surgery programs within the department of Maternal Fetal Medicine. Kristin specializes in complex maternal and fetal obstetrical care with a particular interest in advanced obstetrical surgery, obesity in pregnancy, and antibiotic stewardship in context of infectious diseases in pregnancy. She has an enthusiasm for teaching and improving knowledge translation to patients and providers. Her current research projects are centred around antenatal care and labour and delivery outcomes for patients with obesity, developing programming for penicillin allergy testing in pregnancy, assessment of surgical techniques at cesarean section, and assessment of surgical outcomes for myomectomy at time of cesarean section.

To access the recording of this session, click here

NOVEMBER 27
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM ET

Dr. May Alarab
Lead Urogynecologist @ Perineal Clinic, Mount Sinai Hospital

Objectives:
This session will provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of assessing, diagnosing, and managing pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, and genitourinary syndrome of menopause in primary care.

Dr. Alarab graduated from Medical School, Baghdad University, Iraq. She completed her residency program in Obstetrics & Gynecology in Ireland. She then completed a three year fellowship program at University of Toronto Mount Sinai Hospital in Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, and gained a Master of Science degree at the Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto studying the etiology off pelvic organ prolapse in young women. Her research within the Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive in Canada focus on the extra cellular matrix (ECM) of vaginal tissue of women with pelvic organ prolapse. Dr. Alarab also leads the perineal clinic at Mount Sinai (Ontario), where she takes care of postpartum women effected by obstetrical anal sphincter injuries.

To access the recording of this session, click here

DECEMBER 18
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM ET

Niru Bhanderi
Nurse Practitioner @ Bay Centre for Birth Control, Women’s College Hospital

Objectives:
This session will provide attendees with an overview of contraception counseling, types of contraception options, and IUD/IUS insertion. Additionally, attendees will takeaway a practical approach to providing medical abortion in a primary care setting, covering the mifepristone/misoprostol regimen as well as resources and tools to facilitate medical abortion in a primary care setting.

Niru Bhanderi completed her Bachelors of Science in Nursing at York University in 2010 and her Masters in Nursing - Nurse Practitioner degree at University of Toronto in 2015. Niru joined the Bay Center for Birth Control (BCBC) at Women's College Hospital (WCH) as a primary care nurse practitioner in 2016. At BCBC she specializes in various types of contraception care including intrauterine device (IUD) insertion and implant insertion. Additionally, in the past two years, she has heavily focused her interest in providing medical abortion care. As part of this focus, Niru is collaborating with nurse practitioners from remote areas of Ontario who are interested in implementing medical abortion in their practice.

To access the recording of this session, click here