Disclosures: Kristian J. Von Rickenbach, MD, MS: No financial relationships or conflicts of interest

Objective: To formalize a wellness initiative within a PM&R residency program in order to promote resident well-being, encourage collegiality among residents, and expand on the department’s wellness goals.

Design: Quality improvement Setting : A physical medicine and rehabilitation residency program Participants : PM&R residents

Interventions: A formalized wellness committee consisting of PM&R residents (post-graduate years 2, 3 and 4) was created under the guidance of the residency program director and program manager.

Main Outcome Measures: The committee developed the following goals: (1) improve overall wellness within the residency program, (2) formalize a wellness curriculum, (3) develop a mentorship initiative within the residency program, and (4) create and guide resident well-being-related program policies. A resident wellness survey was also created concurrently to understand the state of resident well-being. Questions themes included happiness with current workload, education, interactions with staff and co-residents, and work-life balance.

Results: In order to improve overall resident wellness, the wellness committee assigned a social chair to organize events outside of work, supported the creation of new resident workspace and created a task force to improve resident support and communication with staff. A wellness curriculum was created consisting of dedicated well-being-focused lectures on topics such as acupuncture, meditation and healthy eating. A formalized mentorship initiative within the residency program was also established to enhance peer-teaching and relationship between the three years of residents. Residency-specific policies were created regarding leave policy for sick time/doctor’s appointments and overnight call procedures. These changes were aimed to address the deficits found within the resident well-being survey. Resident wellness surveys will be conducted yearly to continue adapting this program. Conclusions: By formalizing a PM&R residency program’s well-being initiatives, we believe our program has enhanced our residency program’s overall wellness. We achieved this goal through organizing activities for residents, developing a wellness curriculum, formalizing a peer-support system through mentorship, and creating resident related well-being policy changes.

Level of Evidence: Level V

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PM&R Meeting Abstracts - https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/a-wellness-initiative-in-a-pmr-residency-program/