Ariel Lefkowitz

University of Toronto | U of T · Department of Medicine

Background: Resident call schedules require careful planning and are vulnerable to unanticipated absences from unpredictable factors. We tested whether unplanned absences from resident call schedules were associated with the likelihood of subsequent academic recognition. Methods: We examined unplanned absences from call shifts for internal medic...

In response to calls to increase patient involvement in health professions education (HPE), educators are inviting patients to play a range of roles in the teaching of clinical trainees. However, there are concerns that patients involved in educational programs are seen as representing a demographic larger than themselves: their disease, their soci...

Problem Pregnancy planning in patients with chronic kidney disease can result in ethical conflicts due to the potential for adverse outcomes. Traditionally, many nephrologists have advised their patients to avoid pregnancy altogether; however this approach is paternalistic and not patient-centered. An ethical framework could guide joint decision-ma...

Medical schools and residency programs have become very adept at teaching medical students and residents an enormous amount of information. However, it is much less clear whether they are effective at fostering virtuous qualities like empathy or professionalism in trainees. This would come as no surprise to Plato, who famously argued in the Meno th...

Background: Patient-centered care requires knowledge of patients' goals of care (GoC) on the part of health care providers (HCPs). Whether HCPs caring for in-center hemodialysis patients meet this criterion is uncertain. Objective: We designed and conducted a GoC survey among patients and HCPs within a single in-center hemodialysis (ICHD) progra...

A 56-year-old man presented with a one-day history of vomiting, vertigo and blurred vision in both eyes preceded by a three-week history of fever, night sweats and a 5-kg weight loss. He had no recent history of travel or contact with sick people. His past medical history was notable for untreated HIV infection diagnosed eight months previously, af...

Absolute uterine factor infertility (UFI) refers to the refractory causes of female infertility stemming from the anatomical or physiological inability of a uterus to sustain gestation. Today, uterine factor infertility affects 3-5% of the population. Traditionally, although surrogacy and adoption have been the only viable options for females affec...