Our Values

Our Institutional Compact

Last year, after reviewing the original AAMC Compact Between Resident Physicians and Their Teachers, faculty and residents co-created a version grounded in our institutional values and modern principles of physician wellness. Inspired by Tait Shanafelt’s research on preventing burnout and promoting system level well being interventions, we integrated features that prioritize sustainable workloads and organizational support (Shanafelt). We also drew from the Physician Oath to Self-Care and Well Being developed by Mukta Panda et al., committing to self-compassion, balance, and mutual responsibility for well-being (Panda). Together, this compact affirms our pledge to patient care, education, and the resilience of our community.

Citations: Tait Shanafelt’s work on physician well-being, including the “Well-being 2.0” framework and organizational strategies to reduce burnout, is outlined in Physician Well-being 2.0: Where Are We and Where Are We Going? and Executive Leadership and Physician Well Being: Nine Organizational Strategies to Promote Engagement and Reduce Burnout. American Journal Of Medicine – Oath to Self Care and Well Being (Panda et al.)

Commitments of Faculty

Excellence in Patient Care and Education:

As role models for our residents, we will model the highest standards of care, respect the needs and expectations of patients, including treating every patient with compassion, integrating their holistic needs into care, and embracing the contributions of all members of the healthcare team.

Quality Education:

We pledge to ensure that all components of the educational program for resident physicians are of high quality, including our own contributions as teachers, treating each resident as an individual, and teaching to their needs. In addition, recognizing that teaching is important for integrating and synthesizing learning, we will nurture and support residents in their role as teachers of other residents and medical students.

Optimizing Educational Value:

We will ensure that resident physicians have opportunities to participate in patient care activities of sufficient variety and with sufficient frequency to achieve the competencies required by their chosen discipline. We will ensure that resident duties are balanced to maximize their educational value, avoiding excessive clinical or administrative burdens or responsibilities unrelated to learning objectives.

Commitment to Lifelong Learning:

We will ensure that resident physicians have opportunities to partake in required conferences, seminars, and other non-patient care learning experiences and that they have sufficient time to pursue independent, self-directed learning. We will inspire residents to engage in lifelong self-learning by modeling curiosity, adaptability, professionalism, cultural sensitivity, and a commitment to staying current with scientific advancements and best practices.

Progressive Responsibility and Autonomy:

We will nurture both the intellectual and the personal development of residents, we will provide graded, progressive autonomy to foster confidence and competence in residents while ensuring appropriate supervision so that they can learn how to practice their specialty and recognize when and under what circumstances they should seek assistance from colleagues to safeguard patient safety.

Welcoming and Respectful Culture:

We will welcome and demonstrate respect for all residents.

Feedback and Constructive Communication:

We will maintain open, respectful, regular communication with residents, recognizing their essential contributions to patient care and the learning environment. We will deliver constructive and timely verbal and written feedback, aligned with objective performanceevaluations to help residents achieve the competencies required to meet educational requirements and professional goals.

Career Development:

We will invest in residents’ career development through mentorship, teaching, and collaborative opportunities.

Team-Based Care and Professionalism:

We will exemplify teamwork and interdisciplinary collaboration, ensuring that residents develop the skills to function effectively as members of integrated healthcare teams.

Wellness and Adaptability:

We will create an environment that prioritizes the well-being of residents. This includes ensuring manageable workloads, providing mental health resources, and supporting residents during personal or professional challenges. We will embrace a culture of vulnerability and self-compassion, supporting residents as whole persons by integrating personal and professional development in ways that promote sustainable careers in medicine.

Commitments of Residents

Patient-Centered Care:

We acknowledge our fundamental obligation as physicians—to place our patients’ welfare uppermost; quality health care and patient safety will always be our prime objectives. We will demonstrate respect for all patients recognizing their autonomy, dignity, values, and individual needs.

Commitment to Learning and Growth:

We will engage actively in our training, seeking knowledge, skills, and experiences that prepare us for independent practice. We recognize the rapid pace of change in medical knowledge and the consequent need to approach the evolving healthcare landscape with innovation and adaptability, cultivating resilience aligned with the principles of our profession.

Seeking Support and Feedback:

We will seek timely direct assistance from faculty or peers when faced with clinical challenges or procedures that exceed our experience or confidence to handle alone. In addition to objective performance evaluations, we welcome candid and constructive feedback from faculty and other members of the healthcare team as a means to refine our technical skills and global performance as physicians.

Teaching and Mentorship:

We accept our role as teachers and mentors to peers, medical students, and all members of the care team, fostering a culture of shared learning and support.

Respect for Team Members:

We will treat all patients, faculty, peers, and members of the healthcare team with respect and kindness, recognizing the value of interdisciplinary collaboration in providing quality healthcare.

Engagement in Quality Improvement:

We will participate in efforts to improve the quality of patient care and the clinical learning environment, contributing to an organizational culture of excellence.

Offering Candid and Timely Feedback

We will also provide candid and constructive feedback on the performance of our fellow residents, and of medical students and faculty, recognizing our lifelong mutual obligation as physicians to participate in peer evaluation and quality improvement.

Commitment to Personal and Community Well-Being and Mutual Support:

Understanding that patient care at times requires personal sacrifices, we will attend to our physical, emotional, and mental health, understanding that our well-being is critical to sound clinical judgment and patient care.

Shared Commitments

Professionalism and Integrity:

We promise to do our utmost to uphold professional values of honesty, compassion, integrity, and dependability.

Holistic and Sustainable Practice:

We will maintain a shared focus on the well-being of clinicians and patients, ensuring a balanced, fulfilling professional environment.

Commitment to Mutual Support:

We will cultivate a sense of community by celebrating collective accomplishments, cultivating authenticity, and modeling vulnerability, sharing not only our challenges but also strategies for overcoming them and for supporting colleagues in hard times.