Daffy: Interview with Dr. Lori Albert
Dr. Albert is a Professor in the Department of Medicine University of Toronto, and a Rheumatologist at the University Health Network. She is the education lead for the Schroeder Arthritis Institute. Dr. Albert has a particular interest in undergraduate education as well as Faculty Development. She was previously a Course Director for the MD Program at U of T, and continues to teach in CPC3. She chairs a Teaching Effectiveness Committee of the Department of Medicine. Dr. Albert has won many teaching awards and honours. She is the creator and editor of the Canadian Clinician’s Rheumatology Handbook and the on-line RheumExam Atlas.
Q: Please introduce yourself to our readers and how you are involved with Daffydil.
I am a professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto. I work clinically as a rheumatologist at the University Health Network. My primary role at the University is really as a clinician educator, so I've been involved in the undergraduate curriculum, postgraduate education, and faculty development at the hospital level as well.
Well, secretly, I always wanted to be a performer. So I auditioned for the chorus and I got in! I was involved in my first and second year of med school. I had always been involved in music before that. In high school, I played in the symphony orchestra and a quartet. We performed the music for all the school shows, so I was always involved as one of the musicians but never on the stage. I auditioned for chorus because I wanted to sing… and because I wanted to be part of the musical aspect of the show. Being in the band didn't appeal to me as much because I had a very classical background in music. I like my Bach and Mozart so I didn't feel that I had the capacity to jam in a swinging style.
Q: What has been the most memorable part of being in Daffy so far?
I love singing. It was very exciting to be part of a real show, but it was also great to work so intensely with a group of colleagues. I developed some good friendships with some of those folks, so that was a really memorable part of it. I mean, the whole thing was so great.
Q: What does Daffy mean to you?
Daffy was a real highlight during medical school because I was a part of this additional community of people who were working on a special project together. You know, I loved medical school and that feeling of being part of [Daffy] has stayed with me all these years. I have gone to see Daffy every winter. For the last few years, I was really fortunate to have cameos a couple of times! The feeling of going backstage with all these excited, young people around me... just having a little taste of that again was wonderful. It's just got a very special place in my heart.
