Resilience Program for Medical Students
Why Pearls of Wisdom?
The pearl is the product of pain and a wound that has been healed. As we accept the challenges in our own lives, we will also be building a string of precious pearls. The shell of the oyster is pierced, and an alien substance or grain of sand slips inside.
On the entry of the foreign irritant all the resources within the sensitive oyster rush to that spot and begin to release healing fluids that otherwise would have remained dormant. And, as the irritant sand is continually converged upon by the fluids a pearl is made…
Pearls to Remember, by Barbara S. McDonagh
POW=R: Pearls of Wisdom = Resilience
Why Pearls of Wisdom?
The pearl is the product of pain and a wound that has been healed. As we accept the challenges in our own lives, we will also be building a string of precious pearls. The shell of the oyster is pierced, and an alien substance or grain of sand slips inside.
On the entry of the foreign irritant all the resources within the sensitive oyster rush to that spot and begin to release healing fluids that otherwise would have remained dormant. And, as the irritant sand is continually converged upon by the fluids a pearl is made…
Pearls to Remember, by Barbara S. McDonagh
POW=R is a prevention-focused medical student resilience program that is designed to increase general medical student wellness and mitigate or prevent anxiety, depression and burnout. The approach is grounded in positive psychology, existentialism, cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness.
A training component offered through POW=R is Balancing Life Talks (BLTs).
Medical student and resident resilience is a trending topic among medical schools and healthcare employers as evidenced by the on-going research and program development. Completing this voluntary training may be an important factor in residency match.
Your BLTs may include:
- Resilience in Medical Education: What is it and why is it important?
Does it impact patient care? - Self-awareness: What makes you happy? What do you fear?
- Compassionate Communication: Connect your values to your life
- Dealing with Difficult Emotions in Medical School
- Setting Boundaries: Learn to say no
- Sympathy – Empathy – Compassion
- Self-compassion: Avoiding burnout
- Maintaining Motivation and Finding Meaning
- Attitude of Gratitude: Integrating positivity into your life
- Freedom in Forgiveness: Becoming unstuck
- Mantras, Meditation, and Yoga
- The Art of Expression: Discover how our thoughts, feelings, words and actions produce energies that attract like energies into our lives
- Using Cognitive Behavioral Techniques
- Cooking Healthy Class
- Eating Healthy on a Budget
- Stages of Group Processing and Team Building
Triangle of Success
The Boonshoft School of Medicine offers students a triad of support services throughout their medical education in order to give students the necessary structure for success. The Triangle of Success includes the following individuals. All of these services are confidential.
Jenifer L. Gerard, M.Ed.
Laura M Johnson, M.Ed., B.S.B.M.
Kim Smith, M.S.
Building and Maintaining Resilience
Group 1: Resilience
- What is resilience?
- Why is it important in medical school?
- Resilience Techniques (PDF)
- Resiliency Quiz (non-scientific)
Group 2: Stress & Relaxation
- What is mindfulness? (YouTube)
- Mindfulness quiz
- Benefits of mindfulness
- Relaxation techniques
- Are you on the path to burnout?
- Stress screening
- Anxiety screening
- Stress relief in the moment
- Instructions to Meditate at Home (WSU video on demand)
- Additional Cleansing Technique (WSU video on demand)
- Techniques to Maintain Daily Balance (WSU video on demand)
Group 3: Mental Health
- Mental health screening
- Depression screening
- Depression symptoms and warning signs
- Authentic happiness
- Self-compassion scale
- Keys to forgiveness
- WSU Counseling and Wellness — Succeed & Lead: Developing Your Resilience CORE
- Healer’s Art Course
Group 4: Nutrition
- Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Budget Friendly Guide
- EWG Dirty Dozen
- Find Nutrient Information
- CookSmarts' Budget Meal Plan (PDF)
Group 5: Physical Fitness and Recreation
- WSU Campus Recreation
- Tai Chi Easy, Class 1 (WSU video on demand)
- Tai Chi Easy, Class 2 (WSU video on demand)
- Do Qigong Now! (YouTube)
- Tai Chi Easy Sitting Form (YouTube)
- XiXi Hu Practice (YouTube)
- The Physiology of Tai Chi and Qigong (YouTube)
Medical Student Mistreatment
To report an incident or possible incident of mistreatment of a medical student, please contact the ombudsman:
Jenifer L. Gerard, M.Ed.
jenifer.gerard@wright.edu
(937) 775-2950 (24/7 message line)
On-campus Student Support Resources
- Medical Student Mental Health Services
- Counseling and Wellness
- Raider Cares and Suicide Prevention
- Boonshoft SOM Student Wellness Group
- Title IX and Gender Based Violence
- Bias Incident Reporting
- Discrimination and harassment
- Student Support Services
- University Police Department
Off-campus Student Support Resources
Medical Student Mistreatment
To report an incident or possible incident of mistreatment of a medical student, please contact the ombudsman:
Jenifer L. Gerard, M.Ed.
jenifer.gerard@wright.edu
(937) 775-2950 (24/7 message line)
