MDSwag Co: Keeping the Smile in M:D
Meet Dr. Leah
Hi!
I’m Dr. Leah, a family doc in Ontario. I’ve been at this for eight years now, which means I’ve:
✅ Written more patient notes than my laptop can handle.
✅ Said “It’s a virus” at least a million times.
✅ Perfected the art of sipping lukewarm coffee between patients.
I’m also a mom of two, and while I was busy keeping my tiny humans alive during my second maternity leave, I had something rare—time to reflect on my career.
And by “reflect,” I mean stare at the ceiling at 3 AM after feeding the baby and wonder:
What do I actually want from my career? Why does my EMR hate me? And why do I always forget my coffee in another room?
Medicine: The Dream Job That Comes with a Few Plot Twists
Being a doctor is pretty awesome. We get to help people, solve medical mysteries, and, yes, casually drop Latin words into conversation like it’s no big deal.
But between the meaningful patient connections and the life-changing moments, there’s also the fine print—never-ending paperwork, EMR alerts, and those infamous “Hey doc, just one more thing…” moments when you’re this close to finishing up.
I love medicine, but I also realized that if we don’t take moments to smile, laugh, and reconnect with why we started, we can lose the joy that brought us here in the first place…and risk burnout along the way.
And Then… The Aha Moment (or Just Sleep Deprivation?)
In residency, I was trained to FIFE my patients—asking about their Feelings, Ideas, Function, and Expectations. In order to prioritize patient care.
But one night, while trying to figure out the meaning of life, I thought:
I need to FIFE myself!
That’s when an image of a “FIFE Your Life” T-shirt popped into my head. It made me laugh. And suddenly, I realized something:
Sometimes, it’s the little things that keep us going.
A funny T-shirt. A ridiculous sticker on your laptop. A cozy hoodie that wraps you up after a long shift when all you want is to pretend charting doesn’t exist.
And just like that, MDSwag Co. was born.
From Inside Jokes to a Tangible T-Shirt
So…medical school doesn’t exactly train us to develop a business.
But my husband, an entrepreneur, has always inspired me. He showed me that if you have a passion, if you find something that makes you smile, you can share that joy with others. So when I came up with my nerdy inside jokes, he encouraged me to turn them into something real—something that could bring joy to other people along the MD journey as well.
That’s how MDSwag Co. became more than just an idea—it became a way to bring fun back into medicine, one T-shirt at a time.
What’s MDSwag Co. All About?
✨ Keeping doctors smiling (even through the chaos).
✨ Reminding premeds to keep chasing that dream (yes, even during organic chemistry cramming).
✨ Celebrating every step of the medical journey—from premed to practice.
✨ Helping you find joy in medicine… one inside-joke at a time.
Because medicine is serious, but we don’t have to be serious ALL the time.
To the Future MDs: Keep Going.
If you’re a premed, I see you. The all-nighters, the impossible exams, the slow descent into caffeine dependence. We’ve been there.
It’s hard, but it’s worth it.
You’re not just studying for a test—you’re preparing for a life that changes lives. So keep pushing, stay inspired, and remember: one day, you’ll be the doctor you always dreamed of becoming.
Don’t Forget
We love medicine. (Even when we complain about it.)
We love helping people. (Even when they Google their way into a wrong diagnosis.)
We love what we do. (Even when the EMR fights back.)
MDSwag Co. is here to remind you why you started this journey in the first place—and to make sure you have at least one T-shirt that makes you laugh when you’re this close to losing it.
So, FIFE your life, embrace the madness, and keep the smile in M:D. You’ve earned it.