Pediatrics Residency
Wellness
Many physicians will tell you that residency was one of the most challenging and difficult periods of their lives, but as a Pediatric resident at the University of South Florida, you can rest assured in knowing that your wellness is very important to us. In keeping with recent national trends toward greater emphasis on promoting resident health and well-being, our program has taken many steps to ensure our residents are being well cared for and supported. (Scroll to see what our Support Package offers.)
USF Pediatrics Wellness House Cup Competition
More and more we’re learning that it’s not enough to just avoid things that make us sick, rather it’s very important that we’re actively pursuing things which make us well. With this in mind the residency program created the USF Pediatrics Wellness House Cup competition, which is a program-wide, yearlong competition in which each of our Pediatric and Med-Peds residents earns Wellness Points for his or her house by participating in a series of wellness-minded activities
Like true pediatricians, we’ve chosen a Harry Potter theme; residents are sorted into each of the 4 traditional Hogwarts Houses and sent acceptance letters during intern orientation. They remain in their house throughout residency. There is no doubt, at the University of South Florida we are fostering great resiliency among our residents and continuing to build on our program’s true sense of community through our focus on resident wellness.
Support Package includes:
- Wellness Committee monthly events such as trivia nights, potlucks, beach days, even meet ups at a local dog bar
- Wellness Harry Potter House cup competition!!
- Wellness bingo for prizes (did you say massage?)
- Each class has 1-2 retreats per year (time off with their whole class without official duties)
- Career Development Workshop for PGY3s
- Educational funds and Step 3 reimbursement (see benefits tab)
- TGH gym membership for free
- Pet therapy at both hospitals
- 2 wellness Academic half days/year for health appointments, dentist appointments, fun together, etc
- Attending led resiliency and financial coaching workshops during protected time
- Attending/Spiritual health "code lavender" debrief sessions after difficult patient events
- Open year-long anonymous feedback forms as well as annual townhall for resident feedback
- Resident Assistance Program: dedicated psychiatrists and psychologists
- USF HR Employee Assistance Program including free lifestyle coaching, legal services, discounts for major grocery stores, financial coaching, counseling services, and much more
- Food and coffee at all sites
- 'USF Pediatric & Med-Peds Residents United' GroupMe
- Dress up theme days
- Annual Town Hall meetings
- Big/Little Sib Peer mentorship and Faculty mentorship programs
We also realize that wellness and resiliency is different for each person. We try to address what each resident needs at biannual check-ins with individuals.
Please check out the USF GME Wellness page and the USF Health Morsani Collège of Medicine Health and Wellness guide for even more information!