Well-Being Programs
The Medical Student Well-Being Program provides a broad range of programs throughout the year to support medical student wellness.
In addition to providing free, confidential psychotherapy for individuals, psychiatric evaluation, and medication management to medical students, the Medical Student Well-Being Program offers the following programs designed to support students’ well-being and facilitate students’ adjustments to the physical and emotional demands of medical school. Students are informed about the program through presentations at student orientations, the Medical Student Well-Being Program webpage, and email announcements.
Below are a few of the programs we offer. We are always open to new ideas, and we welcome any suggestions.
Psychological Skill-Building during Physician Identity Weeks
We collaborate with Physician Identity (PI) Weeks curriculum leadership to integrate psychological skills-building as part of medical students’ reflection and professional growth. Topics include emotional validation, acknowledging strengths and areas for growth, practicing dialectical thinking, managing uncertainty, identifying and addressing burnout, navigating perfectionism, and clarifying values.
Emotional Wellness during the Brain, Mind, Behavior Block
We collaborate with Brain, Mind, Behavior (BMB) curriculum leadership to teach second-year students content related to maintaining emotional wellness before clerkships begin.
Wellness Rounds during Clerkships
We meet with third-year medical students in the hospital while they are on rotations. Our staff leads one-hour discussions with KLIC East Bay, KLIC SF, Med110 at Parnassus, and PISCES cohorts. We address the joys and stressors of clinical rotations with psychological skill-building based on topics that students select. Topics include active listening and emotional validation, asserting needs and boundaries, mindfulness of emotion, and navigating grief, perfectionism, and the culture of medicine. Our goal is to acknowledge the inherent challenges of clinical rotations, exposure to human suffering, the vulnerability of ongoing evaluation, potential impacts on your personal life and health, and the valuable support provided by your peers.
Partners in Medicine
We host biannual workshops for students to discuss navigating romantic relationships during medical school. This event builds community among students, addresses concerns about the impact of medical school on romantic relationships, and emphasizes the value of a healthy connection in a relationship. Participants learn psychological skills for maintaining connection and navigating conflict.
Wellness Workshops
In collaboration with the Student Experience Team, we host workshops for medical students to develop holistic wellness practices while navigating the joys and challenges of medical school. The workshops are also opportunities for community building as medical students practice honoring their whole personhood and humanity.
Workshop topics include:
- Emotional Agility in Medicine
- Financial Literacy
- Match Day Resilience
- Navigating Sociopolitical Grief
- Patient Care: The Body As Sacred
- Patient Care: End of Life
- Whole Person Well-Being: Identity and Community
- Whole Person Well-Being: Mind and Body
- Whole Person Well-Being: Spirit and Purpose
