I’ve started some of my previous pieces with a vignette — a short story that I used to introduce and illustrate the main point of the rest of the piece. This time I’ve decided to flip the script; I’m going to lead with my conclusions, which are based on my…

I previously wrote a piece to try to explain why I, as a physician who was accused of abusing a patient, didn’t defend myself against my professional regulator’s allegations at a formal hearing. There is a lot more to say, so I’m revisiting the topic to better describe how barriers…

I’ll never forget the day that I received the letter from my professional regulator, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, informing me that I was under investigation for the abuse of a patient. My heart started pounding in fear the moment I saw the envelope with their logo…

The most dangerous and frightening time for a victim of abuse is when she tries to escape from her abuser. I pace the floor of my office, waiting for a security guard to arrive. It seems to be taking forever. I briefly consider walking to my car alone, but quickly…

~November 2017 I’m sitting alone in a plain police interview room at the end of a long, exhausting morning. I’m waiting for them to say that they are done with me and that I can go home. I’d braced myself for a rough interrogation, but was surprised when the detective…

The last several years of my life have been about putting it back together. The first steps of this journey were simply to figure out what had gone wrong — to identify the events, decisions, and external factors that led to the violence, coercion, and abuse I suffered at the…

I am standing in my garage, both hands gripping a hammer. My old cell phone sits on a bench in front of me. I HATE this phone. This specific device induces rage and fear at the same time. Today, I get to destroy it. I’ve had this phone for what…

“As the doctor, you were the one with all the power.” As I’ve spoken and written about the abuse and violence that I experienced at the hands of a serial predator who was also my patient, several people have made some version of the above comment. Some brought up the…

This morning is no different from so many before; I feel lost. The extensive schedule I’ve generated to keep myself busy doesn’t replace the profession that I cannot go back to. I feel so much less important and without a purpose. More than that though, the morning brings another day…