Resident Wellness

Due to increasing burnout among physicians nationwide, UNC created a Resident Wellness Committee. This resident run committee focuses on preventing burnout, identifying burnout and providing resources to treat burnout. We aim to provide residents with information that will serve them well throughout their career.

Burnout Prevention

Food

• Free breakfast and lunch at conferences every weekday
• Freedom Pay (program adds money based on hours worked; can be used at cafeterias or Starbucks)
• Good eats in the area

Exercise

• Planet Fitness in Chapel Hill –  $10 monthly fee, joining fee and 12 month commitment waived with UNC ID; Spouse/significant other can get same deal but do have to pay joining fee
• Yoga and Zumba at work offered 3 times per week off the Women’s Hospital Lobby. $3 per class or $10 for 3 classes.
• Running trails in Chapel Hill

Mindfulness

• Mindful Mondays
• Advisory Center for Health Professionals

Formal Events to Decrease Burnout

• Intern Welcome Picnic
• SpringFest – Spring party for medicine housestaff at Department of Medicine Chair’s home
• Interview Kick-off / Fellowship Match Day Party
• Intern Retreat and Senior retreats. Full weekend of coverage provided to all PGY1s and PGY3s; residents usually rent a beach house to celebrate for the weekend

Increasing time spent with the patient and away from the computer

• iPads for interns
• Resident assistants to assist with administrative tasks (e.g. scheduling follow-up studies/appointments, obtaining medical records from other hospitals)
• Patient-centered bedside rounds which increase patient satisfaction, increase time at the bedside, and shorten the overall length of rounds

Features of the program that decrease burnout

• Residents on nights work 7 nights and two clinic days in a 14 day period, leaving several days free for scholarly activities, quality time with family/friends, travel
• Intern 2+2+2 schedule, with cycles of two weeks on two different inpatient services, followed by two weeks of clinic/elective. This amounts to two golden weekends every six weeks.

Providing support

• Intern Advisory/Mentorship groups
• Parent/Resident support group
• Resident Wellness Committee

Identifying Burnout

We have dedicated noon conferences to discuss burnout and to re-iterate resources for preventing and treating burn out. The program director meets with each resident semi-annually.

Financial Planning

• Noon conferences dedicated
• Loan Forgiveness – more information here and here
• Free help with income taxes

Burnout Treatment: Taking Care of Our Own

Recognizing that our physicians at UNC may need help from time to time to cope with the challenges of their professional journey, Dr. Samantha Meltzer-Brody, with the generous support of the Sanders Clinical Scholars Program, began a program called “Taking Care of Our Own.” This program provides education, confidential support, advice, and if needed, appropriate professional referral for individual mental or physical help that meets your needs. Read more on the Taking Care of Our Own site.

• Confidential psychiatry and therapy
• Specifically for residents
• Covered by insurance
• Incredible support
• Many residents take advantage

For information about scheduling an appointment or inquiries regarding scheduling a lecture, please contact one of the following.