Resident Wellness
Resident Wellness
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Promoting Academic Wellness
One-Month Orientation
Upon starting in our residency program, our interns spend a month-long orientation together. This allows time for integration into Rochester, bonding, and a gradual integration into residency. The month is filled with social events, clinical and lecture-based training, as well as 8 hands-on skills days. You will work clinically one day/week. The program covers the cost of badge courses such as ATLS, NRP, ACLS/ALS, BLS, and PALS, and the training is completed during the month-long orientation.
Protected Didactic Conference
Thursday’s are protected didactic days for our residents. Our residents are off clinical duties from 11:00 PM Wednesday evening through 11:00 PM Thursday evening. We have also built into the curriculum mindfulness/wellness sessions, RQI (ACLS and PALS) quarterly, simulation and procedure days, and ultrasound hands-on (pelvic ultrasound phantom and Sonosim).
Scholarly Tracks
Tailor your PGY2 and PGY3 year didactic education to a sub-specialty of EM through experiential monthly educational sessions. Through these sessions, residents develop expertise beyond general EM residency training requirements, create lasting mentor/mentee relationships, and build a portfolio to foster fellowship placement and job attainment.
Big Sib / Little Sib Program
Our chief-led Big Sib, Little Sib program is a hit! Every intern is paired up with an R2 and R3 at the end of their orientation month. This program provides personal and professional mentoring throughout the three-year residency.
Faculty Mentors
Every intern will choose a faculty mentor by the end of their first year. This is someone who may have the same personal interests, academic interests, or just simply someone that they feel a connection to.
Annual SAEM Conference
All interns attend the Annual SAEM Conference. The program covers registration and up to $1,000 in travel for residents in good standing. This experience includes academic exposure, networking, alumni engagement, and social events.
Annual 3rd year Conference
All PGY-3 residents receive protected time and dedicated funding to attend a national conference of their choice. Many residents choose to attend the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) Scientific Assembly together, creating a meaningful opportunity for the class to gather one last time at the start of their final year of residency—though residents are free to select any national conference that aligns with their interests. This experience allows residents to explore the job fair, attend lectures tailored to their career goals, and connect with faculty and alumni at our annual conference dinner. The program covers full conference registration and up to $1,000 in travel expenses for all residents in good standing.*
*Good standing is defined by program leadership and includes meeting academic, professional, and administrative requirements.
Memberships to SAEM and ACEP
Upon entering the program, all interns receive memberships to SAEM and ACEP/EMRA. These memberships last throughout your three years of residency training.
Rosh Review Question Bank
The program covers the cost of Rosh Review for all residents each year. This is integrated into the academic year, and a mock ITE is given each year for practice.
Professional Development Day
Each year, our PGY-2 and PGY-3 residents have a dedicated career development day. There will be opportunities to work on CV’s, hear professional presentations on contracts and financial awareness, as well as an opportunity to ask questions and hear from fellowship and community panels.
ITE Remediation
For those that score below the 90th percentile, we offer an ITE remediation program that consists of 1:1 meetings with a dedicated faculty member who will review different tips and techniques for study habits, practice with questions, and have guided support leading up to the next ITE.
Supporting Financial Wellness
Business of Emergency Medicine Curriculum
Each year, residents participate in dedicated sessions led by departmental faculty focused on physician finances, including understanding employment contracts, compensation models, and long-term financial planning.
Yearly Meal Stipend
Each year, our institution provides an annual meal stipend based on the average number of overnight shifts per year. Current stipend - $930
Monthly Phone Stipend
Our residents have the opportunity to either have a work-issued iPhone or to “bring their Own” device for programs such as eRecord, Vocera, Haiku. If the resident chooses to use their personal phone, they will be reimbursed a monthly stipend of $50.
Moonlighting Opportunities
After completion of the PGY-2 In-Training Exam (ITE), residents in good standing*—following their 6-month evaluation and with an ITE score of 90% or higher—may be approved to moonlight. Moonlighting opportunities include internal positions within our Emergency Department and many ICUs, as well as external moonlighting outside the institution, allowing residents to gain additional clinical experience and supplemental income in settings aligned with their career goals.
Electives
PGY 2 residents have 4 weeks of elective time and PGY 3 residents have 3 weeks of elective. These weeks can be used for internal hospital rotations or external opportunitites that align with their career goals.
Social Integration Events
- Winter Blues Party: This annual event is hosted by the Department of Emergency Medicine and sponsored by the Faculty. It is a fun night of appetizers, drinks and socializing amongst each other and their significant others.
- Summer Resident Retreat
- Each summer, during the intern orientation month, the EM residents, fellows, faculty and residency staff spend the afternoon either kayaking, rope climbing or doing a different team-based activity. The event is followed by an optional overnight camping trip for just residents and fellows, should they wish to do so.
- Resident Appreciation Day
- As a way to celebrate our amazing residents and fellows, a team activity is planned for the first Thursday in March. Previous activities have included volleyball, laser tag, bowling, ice skating, etc.
- Fall Family Outing
- Rochester has the best apple picking! Each Fall, a group of residents and residency leadership get together for an afternoon of apple picking, donut tasting and fun fall activities on a local farm.
- Chief Check-ins
- Each Fall and Spring, the chiefs meet with each class separately to check-in, see how things are going, and to offer support. This is usually held after conference at one of the local eateries.
- Annual Post-ITE Celebration
- Each year, after the ITE, our residents and faculty meet up for a bite to eat, relax and unwind.
Sports!
- Resident Beach Volleyball / Indoor Volleyball / Kickball
- The residents LOVE to play indoor and outdoor volleyball as well as kickball! During the winter months they play indoor volleyball on sand courts, in the summer they play at the beach on Lake Ontario. Kickball is run through the medical center so some good, fun competition is had!
- Culture and Belonging Committee Events
- Our resident-led Culture and Belonging Committee holds quarterly meetings. At these meetings, extracurricular events are planned such as movie screenings, local tours or presentations by special guests.
- Senior Graduation:
While we are sad to see our graduates leave, we love celebrating them as well. All residents, including new interns and departmental faculty, enjoying a formal evening of dinner, socializing, and accolades to the outgoing residents and fellows.
Fostering Physical Wellness
Sleep Cycles:
Emergency Department shifts are primarily 9 hours in length and are designed to support safe, effective patient care. Our scheduling model incorporates circadian-friendly scheduling, resident-initiated shift trading, and built-in overlap at the end of shifts to allow time for wrapping up patient care, documentation, and handoffs before the shift ends.
Vacations:
Who doesn’t love a good vacation? All residents receive four weeks of vacation each calendar year, which can be scheduled around individual preferences rather than a fixed program calendar. These vacation weeks are in addition to dedicated time off during select holidays throughout the year. For residents who couples match, we work closely with partner programs to help align vacation schedules whenever possible.
Athletic Membership and Discounts
All University of Rochester employees are eligible to join the UR Fitness Center. Residents & Fellows may enroll at a reduced fee of $10/month! They may also add on membership to Robert B. Goergen Athletic Center on River Campus $150/year. Employees are also eligible for corporate membership rates at the YMCA of Greater Rochester.
Resident Support Resources
- Well-U Benefits
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) available 24/7.