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is … a skill that must be learned and nurtured in the context of other aspects of residency / fellowship training.” The College of Medicine’ s residency programs have their own cultures and, consequently, are taking unique approaches to wellness, said Joan Meek, associate dean for graduate medical education.“ For instance,” she said,“ the internal medicine program in Sarasota has a clinical psychologist that’ s contracted with the program. She comes in monthly to meet with the residents, talk to them about wellness, and discuss any concerns they have.” In addition, she said, the Sarasota residents work on teambuilding and communication away from the pressure of the work environment. It’ s a far cry from what she experienced as a resident, Meek said of her training at Duke University.“ It was pretty grueling,” she said.“ You just worked whatever hours they gave you. There was no uniform emphasis on how residents were really coping with not just the hours but the fatigue issues, were you making good decisions, were you really capable of doing the work.“ It’ s definitely a very different system now. It’ s not perfect. We have a long way to go in terms of understanding how to make medicine as a career both fulfilling and joyful – even with the frustrations involved.” |
Looking ahead Fogarty keeps in touch with Matt Wittman’ s parents. He updates them on the memorial bench and fountain in the works, and on how the students are doing.“ I’ ve always felt like we had a very studentfocused environment,” he said.“ The learning communities, peer interaction, the TA program, the affability and accessibility of the faculty. All of the pieces, from my perspective, are in place.” What he worries about most is student isolation.“ My biggest lesson learned is that I can’ t monitor the students from the dean’ s office,” he said.“ They really have to look out for each other.” For students, faculty and staff, he said, a key part of the answer lies in coming together.“ The biggest way to promote wellness, from my perspective, is connectedness,” he said.“ I love our model in our third year, where they come to the campus weekly to compare notes. The regional dean can look’ em in the eye and say,‘ How’ s it going? Are you seeing enough patients? Are they letting you do anything? Are you getting any sleep? Are you taking care of yourself?’” Locally and nationally, new wellness efforts are under discussion. In recent weeks, for example, Carol Painter announced that telepsychology would be offered after hours to students at the regional campuses. The Escambia County Medical Society Foundation offered a new wellness program to its physician members. The |
GLENN SANGER-HODGSON
Capital Medical Society Foundation also has
a physician wellness program, which includes
a 16-question Physician Wellness Burnout
Inventory and six confidential, complimentary
sessions with a psychologist for physician
members and their spouses.
All of that activity is encouraging, Jaffe said –
but it’ s not enough.
“ We shouldn’ t rest on the achievements that
we’ ve had this past year,” he said.“ We are really
only beginning to scratch the surface. It’ s a
national crisis. We all have to do better.”
Visit med. fsu. edu / wellness
Staff psychologist Carol Painter, left, with Heather Gordon and Cyndi Ranallo, student support coordinators
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