Faculty Supervisors:
Dr. Christina Ulane, Chaplain Linda Golding, Psychiatry Faculty
Description:
Resident wellness is a critical component of residency programs. There is a growing body of literature focusing on poor mental health in residents and that impact that this has on training. One study in the British Medical Journal found that residents who were depressed made 6.2 times as many medical errors than their colleagues who were not depressed. Notably, in the cohort of 123 residents involved in the study, 20% met criteria for depression and 74% met criteria for burnout. Stress-related exhaustion, which is thought to be similar to burnout, has been associated with cognitive impairment in memory and executive functioning. Finding ways to address and improve resident wellbeing is imperative for the health of the residents and the residency program as a whole.
Evaluation:
Residents have the opportunity to provide feedback to faculty and Chaplain regarding effectiveness of sessions. Areas of concern identified during sessions will be addressed by supervisors.
Goals and Objectives:
Medical Knowledge
Residents will learn the impact of burnout, sleep deprivation and mood disorders on cognitive function as it relates to patient care. Techniques for managing stress and burnout will be taught. Recognition of burnout in oneself and identification of a struggling colleague with a clear protocol for how to obtain the necessary help or intervention will be taught.
Patient Care
Residents will have protected time for reflection on difficult patient cases and case load and group discussions regarding how to manage demands of residency.
Systems-Based Practice
Open forums will allow for new ideas on how to improve workflow and educational responsibilities to improve resident well-being.
Practice-Based Learning and Improvement
Residents will learn about the growing body of literature that supports active maintenance of mental health and well-being in physicians and how to apply this data to residency and lifelong practice.
Interpersonal and Communication Skills
Residents will have the opportunity to discuss difficult patient care and professional situations in a safe environment with one another and with mental health professionals.
Professionalism
Residents will learn how to address burnout and mental health issues in themselves and colleagues in a professional manner.
Activities/Components
Resident wellness will be addressed through several approaches:
Process groups:
Starting in August, each class will meet every 4-6 weeks as a group with a moderator from outside the neurology department to discuss issues related to residency.
Noon conference series:
There will be 4-5 noon conference sessions each year led by Linda Golding, from the pastoral care office to discuss broad topics such as resilience, mediation, and mindfulness techniques. There is also a yearly lecture on sleep deprivation and burnout.
Mentoring groups:
Each resident will be part of a team composed of a PGY2, 3, and 4 residents all paired with a faculty member. Faculty members will serve as resources to discuss challenges in both work and life and will meet with the residents several times per year.
Resident retreats:
Each class will have a retreat one day a year where they are excused from their work duties for the day. They will have coverage from the other residents and will be able to spend the day doing a fun activity. This will allow for a day of team-building and decompression away from the hospital.