Wellness Program
The Graduate Medical Education Committee of the Wellington Regional Medical Center (WRMC) Internal Medicine Residency Program complies with the ACGME guidelines regarding well-being for all our trainees. The following policy is written in accordance with ACGME’s institutional and common program requirements.
WRMC is committed to promoting a culture of well-being for our residents and faculty, recognizing the importance that this has on their professional fulfillment as well as patient care. Psychological, emotional and physical well-being are critical in the development of the competent, caring and resilient physician and require proactive attention to life inside and outside medicine. Well-being requires that physicians retain the joy in medicine while managing their own real-life stresses. Self care and responsibility to support other members of the healthcare team are important components of professionalism; they are also skills that must be modeled, learned and nurtured in the context of other aspects of residency training.
WRMC has the same responsibility to address well-being as they do to evaluate other aspects of resident competence. Physicians and all members of the healthcare team share responsibility for the well-being of each other. A positive culture in a clinical learning environment models constructive behaviors and prepares residents with the skills and attitudes needed to thrive throughout their careers.
Wellness services and initiatives
The Program, in partnership with its sponsoring institution, educates faculty members and residents in identification of the symptoms of burnout, depression and substance abuse, including means to assist those who experience these conditions. Residents and faculty members must also be educated to recognize those symptoms in themselves and how to seek appropriate care.
The Program will:
- Encourage residents and faculty members to alert the Program Director, or other designated personnel, when they are concerned that either they, another resident or faculty member may be displaying signs of burnout, depression, substance abuse, suicidal ideation or potential for violence.
- Provide access to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) which provides free, confidential counseling for stress management, personal problems and substance dependency problems.
- Provide access to other resources dedicated to physician well-being such as free counseling and peer support groups.
Dedicated didactic sessions
There are didactic sessions which focus on resident and physician well-being. Topics include identification of symptoms of burnout, depression, and substance abuse; establishing healthy work/personal life balance and developing resilience and mindfulness.
Wellness activities
Various activities are planned throughout the year. Our wellness committee, which is comprised of an attending and three residents (one from each class), meets quarterly to discuss and plan upcoming wellness events. These activities aim at fostering bonds for all residents during their years of training to provide support in a relaxing, fun and engaging environment.