💙 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. 💙🌿
