Wellness is one of the most important components of residency! Psychological, emotional, and physical well-being are critical for the development of competent, caring, and resilient physicians. The UF Department of Neurology is committed to the well-being of residents, faculty members, and all members of our healthcare team.
Residents participate in a longitudinal wellness curriculum focused on addressing both intrinsic and extrinsic sources of burnout, including the opportunity for burnout self-assessment and a monthly lecture series (addressing topics such as mindfulness, nutrition, organization, gratitude, forgiveness, exercise, and work-life balance) that aims to provide a toolkit for individual resilience and personal wellness. All residents are allotted multiple personal half-days each year, to be used as needed for wellness and self-care. In addition, residents always have the opportunity to access medical and dental care, including mental health care, at times that are appropriate to their individual circumstances.
As a department, we promote efforts to enhance the meaning that each resident finds in the experience of being a physician, including protecting time with patients, minimizing non-physician obligations, providing administrative support, promoting progressive autonomy and flexibility, and enhancing professional relationships. We are mindful of scheduling, work intensity, and work compression that impacts well-being. Feedback from the residents about how the learning and working environment can be improved is actively solicited during weekly residency meetings with the Program Director and Associate Program Director.
The best protection against burnout is being part of a strong community focused on support, fun and camaraderie. Our residents are a close-knit family who enjoy spending time together. The neurology faculty sponsor multiple social events for the residents each year, including pool parties, rock climbing, the local music scene (which includes one of our own faculty members), divisional fun runs, Gator games and tailgating, holiday activities, etc. The UF GME Housestaff office also offers many opportunities for resident social events outside of the department.
