PsychEd Episode 55: MAiD and Mental Illness Part II with Dr. Sonu Gaind and Dr. Jeffrey Kirby
PsychEd: Educational Psychiatry PodcastShow Notes
Welcome to PsychEd, the psychiatry podcast for medical learners, by medical learners. This episode covers Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) and mental illness as a sequel to our previous episode on MAiD with our guest experts, Dr. Sonu Gaind and Dr. Jeffrey Kirby. This episode was originated by Dr. Urvashi Prasad for her Grand Rounds.
The learning objectives for this episode are as follows: By the end of this episode, the listener will be able to… Gain an understanding of the current state of Medical Assistance in Dying for primarily mental illness in Canada
Evaluate the arguments in support of and against implementation of Medical Assistance in Dying for primarily Mental Illness
Understand next steps and future directions of Medical Assistance in Dying for primarily mental illness in Canada
Discuss the possible impact that Medical Assistance in Dying might have on the profession of psychiatry
Guest Experts: Dr. Sonu Gaind who is a Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto (U of T) and Chief of Psychiatry at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, and clinically works as a psycho-oncology consultant. As Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) policies have been evolving in Canada, Dr. Gaind has testified in front of numerous expert, parliamentary and senate committees on issues relevant to mental health and mental illness that need to be considered in the MAiD framework. Dr. Gaind chaired the time-limited Canadian Psychiatric Association Task Force on Assisted Dying, was selected to sit on the Council of Canadian Academies Expert Panel on Mental Disorders and Assisted Dying, was retained by the former Attorney General of Canada as an expert in the Truchon and Lamb cases, and chaired his former hospitals MAiD team. He has spoken across the country and internationally on the subject.
Dr. Jeffrey Kirby is a (retired) Professor in the Department of Bioethics, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University. He has an educational background and professional experience in medicine, philosophy and health care ethics. Dr. Kirby has published a set of academic papers in high-impact, international, bioethics journals on a variety of MAID-related topics including: assisted dying for suffering arising from mental health conditions, morally-relevant distinctions between paradigm and non-paradigm MAID circumstances, meso- and macro-level (MAID-related) health policy development, and organ donation after MAID and institutional conscientious objection to MAID. He made several, virtual and written, Bill C-7 related submissions to the Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs regarding matters/issues of relevance to the potential consideration of mental health disorders as sole-qualifying conditions for MAID in Canada. He is a former member of the Expert Panel on MAiD and Mental Illness.
Grand Rounds Presenter: Dr. Urvashi Prasad (PGY4) Produced by: Dr. Urvashi Prasad (PGY4) and Dr. Alex Raben (staff psychiatrist) Hosts: Dr. Urvashi Prasad (PGY4) and Dr. Alex Raben (Staff Psychiatrist) Peer Reviewer: David Eapen-John (MS4) Audio editing by: Dr. Urvashi Prasad (PGY4) Show notes by: Dr. Urvashi Prasad (PGY4)
Resources: Canada, Health. “Government of Canada.” Canada.ca, / Gouvernement Du Canada, 27 Mar. 2023, https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/medical-assistance-dying.html.
References: Government of Ontario, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. “Medical Assistance in Dying.” Health Care Professionals - MOH, Government of Ontario, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, 13 May 2021, https://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/programs/maid/.
Tabitha Marshall. “Assisted Suicide in Canada.” The Canadian Encyclopedia, 3 Dec. 2021, https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/assisted-suicide-in-canada.
Canada, Health. “Government of Canada.” Canada.ca, / Gouvernement Du Canada, 27 Mar. 2023, https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/medical-assistance-dying.html.
Canada, H
More from PsychEd: Educational Psychiatry Podcast
Welcome to PsychEd, the psychiatry podcast for medical learners, by medical learners. This short episode covers medical considerations in eating disorders. Hosts: Dr. Shelly Palchick (PGY1) and Dr. Angad Singh (PGY3) Audio Editing: Dr. Angad Singh (PGY3) For more PsychEd, follow us on Instagram (@psyched.podcast), Facebook (PsychEd Podcast), X (@psychedpodcast), and Bluesky (@psychedpodcast.bsky.social). You can email us at [email protected] and visit our website at psychedpodcast.org.
Welcome to PsychEd, the psychiatry podcast for medical learners, by medical learners. This episode covers homelessness and mental illness with Dr. Vicky Stergiopoulos, senior scientist with the General Adult Psychiatry and Health Systems Division at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). She is also a full professor in the Department of Psychiatry and the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto. She has served in several administrative roles, including vice-chair, clinical and innovation (2017-2022) and co-Director of the Division of Adult Psychiatry and Health Systems (2012-2017) in the Department of Psychiatry, as well as physician-in-chief at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (2016-2022), psychiatrist-in-chief at St. Michael’s Hospital (2011-2016) and medical director, Inner City Health Associates (2017-2011). Dr. Stergiopoulos completed her medical training at Dalhousie University and residency training in psychiatry at the University of Toronto. She holds a MHSc in health administration from the University of Toronto’s Institute for Health Policy, Management and Evaluation and completed director’s education training at the Rotman School of Management. The learning objectives for this episode are as follows: Define homelessness and housing insecurity and identify key social determinants that shape health outcomes in this population
Welcome to PsychEd, the psychiatry podcast for medical learners, by medical learners. This short episode covers the basics of CYP450 metabolism as it applies to psychotropic medication. Hosts: Dr. Celine Prell (PGY4), Dr. Angad Singh, (PGY3) Audio Editing: Dr. Celine Prell (PGY4), Dr. Angad Singh, (PGY3) For more PsychEd, follow us on Instagram (@psyched.podcast), Facebook (PsychEd Podcast), X (@psychedpodcast), and Bluesky (@psychedpodcast.bsky.social). You can email us at [email protected] and visit our website at psychedpodcast.org.
Welcome to PsychEd, the psychiatry podcast for medical learners, by medical learners. This episode covers Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with Dr. Kenneth Fung and Dr. Iline Guan. Dr. Kenneth Fung is Staff Psychiatrist at the Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network. He is Professor and Director of Global Mental Health with the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto. His research, teaching, and clinical interests include both cultural psychiatry and psychotherapy, especially ACT, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and mindfulness. He is the Block Co-coordinator of the Cultural Psychiatry Core Seminars for psychiatry residents, and the seminar co-lead and psychotherapy supervisor in CBT at the University Health Network. Dr. Guan is a psychiatrist who practices outpatient general psychiatry at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, where she works in the Mood and Anxiety Ambulatory Services and the Northern Psychiatric Outreach Program. She also works with Inner City Health Associates in downtown Toronto. She has had training across various psychotherapy modalities, including psychodynamic therapy, CBT, DBT, IPT, MBSR/MBCT, and ACT. She is involved in resident teaching and psychotherapy supervision at the University of Toronto, and has implemented a pilot ACT group program in the Mood and Anxiety clinic at CAMH. The learning objectives for this episode are as follows: Describe the theoretical model and core processes underlying ACT
Welcome to PsychEd, the psychiatry podcast for medical learners, by medical learners. This short episode covers factitious disorder. Hosts: Jo Kikukawa (MS3), Dr. Kate Braithwaite Audio editing: Dr. Kate Braithwaite References: 1. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5, text revision (DSM-5-TR). 5th ed. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association Publishing; 2022. 2. Irwin, M. R., Bursch, B., & Solomon, D. (2025, July 21). Factitious disorder imposed on self (Munchausen syndrome). UpToDate. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/factitious-disorder-imposed-on-self-munchausen-syndrome?search=factitious+disorder&source=search_result&selectedTitle=1~90&usage_type=default&display_rank=1&searchCorrelationId=681d447e-f8e6-4338-b905-ff937cad5972&searchCorrelationTerm=factitious+disorder#H368608737 3. PsychDB. (2021, December). Factitious Disorder. Factitious Disorder - PsychDB 4. Roesler, T. A., & Jenny, C. (2026, June 12). Medical child abuse (Munchausen syndrome by proxy). UpToDate. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/medical-child-abuse-munchausen-syndrome-by-proxy?search=factitious+disorder&source=search_result&selectedTitle=3~90&usage_type=default&display_rank=3&searchCorrelationId=681d447e-f8e6-4338-b905-ff937cad5972&searchCorrelationTerm=factitious+disorder#H90255160 5. Yates, G., & Bass, C. (2017). The perpetrators of medical child abuse (Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy) - A systematic review of 796 cases. Child abuse & neglect, 72, 45–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.07.008 For more PsychEd, follow us on Instagram (@psyched.podcast), Facebook (PsychEd Podcast), X (@psychedpodcast), and Bluesky (@psychedpodcast.bsky.social). You can email us at [email protected] and visit our website at psychedpodcast.org.