Improving Resident Wellness through creative and impactful ways was a significant focus of the past academic year and continues into this new year. Last August, a Resident Wellness Retreat was held at Natural Bridge State Park, KY and included a day of hiking and team connection. Later in the Fall, residents and their families gathered for a Thanksgiving celebration and in December, they enjoyed pottery painting and holiday cookie decorating.

We celebrated “Thank a Resident Day” in February with cards signed by the leadership team and LL Bean duffle bags.  Residents also competed at the Operation boardgame for prizes and enjoyed lunch and ice cream cake.  We are so grateful for our residents, and it was the perfect opportunity to thank them for the integral part they each play in our patients’ health and our Program’s success. In March, we celebrated Doctor’s Day and honored our residents’ and faculty’s contributions with a departmental lunch. 

In May, we hosted our Resident Wellness Month including “Financial Wellness for Residents,” certified therapy dog visits, chair massages, and restorative yoga. We also incorporated a month-long community outreach component which included a social media furry friends’ wish list and volunteering at the Huntington Cabell Wayne Animal Shelter. Residents were excused from didactics and spent a Wednesday morning volunteering with the shelter’s dogs and cats and serving lunch to the shelter staff. Our social media wish list was well-received within the community, and we were able to take an abundance of collars, leashes, treats, and toys as donations to the shelter’s stock.  A visit from Doc Dory, a former rescue turned certified therapy dog, kicked off our wellness month, and she served as our mascot for the outreach event. In addition, “Surgeons for Service” t-shirts were designed with a plan for wearing them for our quarterly volunteer outreach events. Other outreach throughout the year included a coat drive for the homeless, blankets for veterans, treat bags for pediatric patients, and Mamm & Glam, a mammogram and spa event for at-risk women, as well as two free hernia screenings that were offered for the medically underserved.

in June, we celebrated awards and our graduates’ accomplishments at the annual graduation banquet. For residents who were moving, we partnered with the City Mission and collected donations of furniture and housewares.  Orientation followed and included multiple wellness and welcome events including a resident family picnic sponsored by a faculty member and a chief-hosted resident pool party. 

The new academic year’s commitment to resident wellbeing began with a survey by the new Chief of Wellness and Diversity to assess interest and needs and including our first-ever overnight retreat in August.  The residents enjoyed two nights at ACE Adventure Resort in Fayetteville that included teambuilding, meals, whitewater rafting, hiking, and s’mores by the fire. 

Our Sim Lab underwent a renovation recently, and we were able to add a second refrigerator, additional healthy snack options, extra storage, a recycling program, and a comfort/care station. 

We provide a meal at each weekly conference, including a special menu on the last Wednesday of each month as a focus on wellness and resident birthdays.  In addition to our Program’s offerings and commitment, our GME hosted a healthy policy forum, provided 5k registration, gym membership, and newly added parking permits. Two new childcare centers will add convenient locations as they’re completed this academic year. 

Wellbeing comes in all forms, and at Marshall General Surgery, we strive to incorporate as many innovative and effective aspects as we can!