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

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 Gerard, Ph.D.

Department:
Student Affairs & Admissions-SOM
Title:
Director, Medical Student Services
Address:
White Hall 190, 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy, Dayton, OH 45435-0001

Laura M Johnson, Ed.D., M.S., M.Ed.

Department:
Medical Education - BSOM
Title:
Academic Advisor, Peer Tutoring Program Supervisor
Address:
White Hall 249, 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy, Dayton, OH 45435-0001

Marissa McCray, M.S.Ed.

Department:
Student Affairs & Admissions-SOM
Title:
Manager, Medical Student Career Services
Address:
White Hall 190, 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy., Dayton, OH 45435-0001

Building and Maintaining Resilience

Group 1: Resilience
Group 2: Stress & Relaxation
Group 3: Mental Health
Group 4: Nutrition
Group 5: Physical Fitness and Recreation

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

Off-campus Student Support Resources

Last edited on 12/21/2023.