Wellness champion Amy Weil, MD, invites colleagues to submit questions and share perspectives on institutional well-being, to inspire actionable insights.
Wellness Expo Week kicks off this Monday, November 18, sponsored by the Office of Faculty Affairs & Leadership Development and the UNC School of Medicine Well-Being Committee.
Amy Weil, MD, professor of general medicine and clinical epidemiology, serves as co-chair of the wellness clinical subcommittee, and she encourages providers to participate. “Come enjoy yoga, get a massage, hear from an insightful, best-selling internist, discover writing therapy, and sample culinary medicine with our own Tom Keyserling.”
“We want to highlight the work the Office of Faculty Affairs and Leadership Development is doing via the Wellness Committee to improve the wellbeing of our faculty, and by extension, our residents, students and our patients,” said Weil. The week offers opportunities to learn about self-care and consider new ways to think about wellbeing.”
Weil, medical co-director of UNC Hospital’s Beacon Program, has worked in the evolving field of trauma informed care over the past 16 years.
“Scholarly research in adverse childhood experiences has helped physicians learn how trauma, whether from interpersonal, structural, or historical exposures, can work on neurobiologic mechanisms that lead to poor health, affecting immunity, inflammation, learning, attention and mood.
“This understanding can have far reaching effects on our approach to health in our patients and ourselves. The possibility that building resilience can undo some of these health effects in our patients and ourselves is important in this era of rising burnout rates among faculty, residents and students. Mindful activities, such as those offered this week, can be particularly helpful for engaging the parasympathetic nervous system. Forging solutions for improvement as we care for our patients and each other, can contribute to a culture that fosters wellbeing for our patients and ourselves.”
“The committee is also inviting people to submit questions, comments or suggestions related to our institution’s wellbeing, which will be introduced and discussed during the Town Hall meeting.”
Questions and comments can be emailed to amy_weil@med.unc.edu by 10 am on Wednesday, November 20. The Town Hall meeting will include UNC Health Care leaders and well-being program representatives, moderated by Samantha Meltzer-Brody, MD. A summary report of learnings will be shared after the event.
Some of the Highlights for Wellness Week – November 18-21, 2019
Monday
9-11 am – Cooking demo with Tom Keyserling, MD (UNC Women’s Hospital, Conference Room #3) Learn how the Mediterranean diet can be adapted, with a southern twist.
Tuesday
4-5 pm – NYU School of Medicine visiting professor lecture with Danielle Ofri, MD, PhD –“Surviving Medicine in the 21st Century,” with a book signing immediately following (Kirkland Auditorium)
Wednesday
7-8 am – Lecture with Danielle Ofri, MD, PhD— “When We Do Harm: Medical Error and the Human Condition” (Old Clinic Auditorium)
Thursday
5-7 pm – Faculty Pub Night (Beach Café)
A complete listing of all activities can be found here.
