Resident Wellness

Resident wellness has always been a priority for the Greenwich Hospital/Yale University Residency Program. Increasing rates of suicide, burnout, and depression among physicians have underscored the importance of incorporating a formal wellness curriculum designed to cultivate a culture of resident wellbeing.

To that end a resident-led Greenwich Hospital Wellness Council was established, with the following goals:

• To facilitate camaraderie among residents in both a social and professional setting
• To raise resident awareness of available resources for mental health and wellbeing

Wellness Resources and Support

Food: Residents receive a monthly stipend for food allowances that can be used in the cafeteria. The Wellness Council also provides snacks and beverages for the resident lounge.

Exercise: There are several local gyms within walking distance of Greenwich Hospital including Equinox, Pure Barre, Soul Cycle and the YMCA. The YMCA provides discounted memberships for Greenwich Hospital workers.

Social Events to Enhance Well Being and Decrease Burnout: The resident-led Resident Wellness Council regularly plans events for the residents based on resident interest. Examples of previous gatherings have included end of block get-togethers, beach day, hiking, pumpkin and apple picking, and movie nights.

Financial Support for Wellness: In addition to providing meal stipends and subsidized housing (subject to taxes and utilities), Greenwich Hospital also provides 6 months of free access to the UWorld Qbank to assist interns in preparing for Step 3. There is funding for the Resident Wellness Councils different initiatives. 

Call Schedule: During the week the inpatient teams are on call every 3-4 days with sign out at 8:30pm for interns, otherwise they will sign out at 3:30pm. Weekend call for interns on inpatient teams will be either a “grey” weekend (Saturday overnight shift) or a “black” weekend (Saturday and Sunday day shifts). Weekends in which the intern is not on call is a "golden" weekend (off on Saturday and Sunday). This structure allows for greater resident flexibility.
 
Wellness afternoons: Residents are given four pre-scheduled afternoons off for wellness purposes in addition to their guaranteed 4 weeks of vacation and monthly average of 2 weekends off.

The program director meets with each resident semi-annually for which the residents prepare a self-assessment. In addition, the core faculty at Greenwich Hospital have an “open door” policy that 
allows residents to directly bring concerns to their attention. 

Recognizing that work and life comes along with stressors and difficulties, Greenwich Hospital makes confidential, free resources available to residents through the Employee-Family Resources (EFR).

EFR (Employee Family Resources): 

• Residents may access the EFR 24/7 by calling (877) 275-6226 or going to www.achievesolutions.net/ynhhs. Six free counseling sessions offered. 
• Other benefits of EFR include: work/life services (child care, parenting, family, and elder support), confidential counseling, legal and financial assistance, and online resources. 
• Each resident is scheduled for an opt-out confidential Wellness check-in with the Employee Family Resource Program at Yale. The EEFR offers assistance with everything from mental health, to financial counseling or referrals for legal support.