We recognize the importance of supporting our physicians in caring as deeply for themselves as they care for their patients. Our goal is to cultivate a culture where wellness is a fundamental aspect of our program by offering multiple levels of support, deeply embedding our Core Values of Sacred Trust, Personal Reverence, Thoughtful Anticipation, Team Accountability, and Creative Vitality.
Foundational Support
The wellness committee will meet twice annually and will include faculty and staff. Each year, an intern will be nominated to join the wellness committee and be the well-being champion for the duration of residency.
As part of orientation, residents participate in an educational series on wellness and mental health, covering topics like recognizing burnout, seeking help, and accessing resources like the Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
Residents are required to meet with a neutral, professional coach quarterly throughout residency. The coach will assist the resident in synthesizing feedback to optimize their sense of purpose, confidence, autonomy and competence.
Ongoing support and reminders about wellness resources are provided throughout residency. Inclusive resident cohorts and groups are built into the program structure, giving residents a platform to create their own support network.
Workday Culture & Curriculum
Our workday culture approach is adapted from Reframing Well-Being: Optimizing the Work and Learning Environment (HCA Healthcare GME Program).
- Curriculum Design: Our curriculum has been designed to allow dedicated time for all required activities.
- Administrative Time: Approximately every three (3) weeks on a resident’s continuity clinic day, the resident will have a ½ day available as protected time to address any admin work.
- Amplifying Meaning: Intentional daily and weekly activities are integrated into the curriculum to foster a sense of purpose highlighting a resident’s human impact.
- Identifying and Reducing Hindrance Job Demands: We will consistently work to identify and remedy issues that are impairing your work and positive learning environments.
- Supporting Autonomy: We will work to consistently support resident autonomy, which is when one feels they have true decision latitude, not a lack of supervision.
- Supporting Belonging: We will work to identify threats to belonging through the wellness committee and actively support belonging through a number of activities.
Wellness Resources & Activities
Various didactic sessions will cover topics like burnout, fatigue mitigation, and resilience. Residents also receive a monthly reminder to complete a confidential 7-question Wellbeing Assessment.
An anonymous reporting tool is available via QR code. Residents also have quarterly guided debriefs with the Chaplain and access to confidential mental health support through Jasper and Associates and Health Advocate/UNUM.
We provide an "Intern Night" off twice yearly, an annual off-campus retreat, and semi-annual afternoons off for personal self-care appointments.
"Sacred spaces" are available for rest and recharging. We also schedule bimonthly visits from service animals. Discounted gym memberships and information on local events are also provided.
