Spousal Support in Medicine?

 

💙 Support for the Caregivers and Learners

Family and Spousal Support Is Essential in the Medical Journey

📅 August 1, 2025

🔎  Description 

Discover how The Flipside Life supports medical learners, physicians, and their families. Explore why spousal and family support is essential in medical training and how TFSL provides community, connection, and emotional wellness resources.

🌿 Introduction

Behind every medical learner, resident, or healthcare provider is a caregiver — a spouse, a partner, a parent, a friend — offering emotional, logistical, and often financial support. These caregivers form the backbone of the medical journey. ❤️‍🩹

Family and spousal support isn't optional. It's essential.

That's why MedsHousing is proud to spotlight The Flipside Life (TFSL) — a community created specifically to support the people behind the people who care for us.

🌟 About The Flipside Life (TFSL)

Founded in 2019 by Hayley Harlock, a registered social worker and physician spouse,
T F S L was created to respond to the real, lived experiences of medical families, including:

  • Long stretches of isolation

  • Frequent moving and relocation

  • The unpredictability of training schedules

  • Emotional strain on spouses and children

  • Loss of career identity for partners

  • Decreased social connection

Originally designed as an app to connect physician partners globally, TFSL transformed during the COVID-19 pandemic into a strong, supportive community hub — just when families needed it most.

Today, TFSL welcomes members from:
🇨🇦 Canada • 🇺🇸 The U.S. • 🌍 Around the world

💬 What TFSL Stands For

TFSL prioritizes empowerment through connection, offering:

✔️ Safe spaces for spouses and families

✔️ Community groups and peer support

✔️ Mental health and wellness resources

✔️ Honest conversations about burnout

✔️ Advocacy for improved support within healthcare systems

Under Hayley's leadership, TFSL collaborates with national partners, medical programs, and wellness offices to highlight the reality of what families face — and to push for meaningful change.

📰 TFSL in the Media

The Flipside Life has gained significant visibility through:

  • 🎧 Podcast interviews

  • 📰 Local & national news features

  • 🩺 Publications in:

    • Canadian Medical Association

    • Physician Family Magazine

This recognition highlights a simple truth:
Caregivers of caregivers need care, too.

🌈 Why This Matters for Housing & Wellness

At MedsHousing, we see first-hand how housing insecurity and relocation affect:

  • Medical learners

  • Spouses and partners

  • Children

  • Overall wellness

A stable, supportive home environment directly impacts:

🏥 Learning
🧠 Mental health
👨‍👩‍👧 Family well-being
💼 Professional success

TFSL reminds us that housing and family support are deeply interconnected.

🌷 A Movement for Better Support

TFSL is building a movement that champions:

  • The emotional well-being of medical families

  • Stronger mental health resources

  • Greater understanding of the “hidden curriculum” spouses experience

  • Community connection for partners who often feel left behind

  • Recognition that supporting families = supporting healthcare

🔗 Stay Connected With TFSL

📌 Website: theflipsidelife.com
📌 Email: hello@theflipsidelife.com
📌 Social: Follow TFSL on all major platforms

The caregivers and families behind our medical learners deserve support, connection, and recognition.
Together, we can care for the caregivers. 💙🌿