The University of Utah Family Medicine Residency Program prioritizes wellness as one of its core values. We intentionally integrate wellness throughout the program and curriculum in multifaceted ways. To learn how the University of Utah at large supports its residents and employees, follow these links to the GME Wellness Office and the University of Utah Resiliency Center.
Wellness-Focused Policies
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- Residency policies and procedures that support wellness
- Chiefs serve as resident liaisons to residency leadership
- Sick Coverage: backup system that does not need to be “paid back”
- Medical/mental health appointments supported
- Flexible policy for didactic schedule attendance
- Rotation schedule flexibility for maternity/paternity leave
- Lactation support through blocked clinic time
- Reimbursed ride fare if unable to safely drive home after work
- Quarterly faculty advisor meetings address wellness through formal integration of wellness check-ins
- Residents provide anonymous quarterly feedback to residency program with closed loop communication from chiefs and residency faculty
- Residency policies and procedures that support wellness
Wellness-Focused Didactics
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- Wellness Orientation is part of intern orientation and establishes wellness as a residency value
- Intern Support Group meets weekly for eight months, facilitated by the Behavioral Science Director
- Resident “Resilience & Recovery” Group is a monthly faculty-led group focusing on stress management and wellness skills
- Patient Safety Conference is a recurring Grand Rounds conference that normalizes difficult patient interactions and situations
- Residency Retreats/Workshops
- Self-assess wellness and develop stress management skills
- Develop effective team leadership and communication skills
- Cultivate identity as a physician and meaning in medicine
Nurturing Connections
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- Each intern is connected with an R2 and R3 big/little siblings “lineage” to help form connections and ease transition to residency
- Connection to the broader community is integrated into the curriculum through refugee health fairs, local community gardens, and opportunities for advocacy
- Social Events coordinated by residency integrates interns into residency and supports global residency community
- Residency Greats are comments of recognition that are collected and shared at a monthly residency meeting
- February Surprise is a gift given annually by the faculty group to each resident with messages of appreciation and encouragement
- Significant Other Orientation is a meeting is led by the Behavioral Science Director and a current significant other to build residents' partners into the residency community