Building Resilience for Wellness: A Faculty Development Resource

INTRODUCTION: The National Academy of Medicine recently published “A Multifaceted Systems Approach to Addressing Stress Within Health Professions Education and Beyond,” which calls for greater attention to the wellness of health care providers, students, and educators. Suggested actions include “creating and training positive role models.” In order for faculty to role-model behaviors of wellness, they need to understand what this means and how to incorporate it into their lives. At present, there is only one other MedEdPORTAL resource on wellness and resilience that includes faculty as audience members. METHODS: This 60-minute workshop is designed to provide faculty with a basic framework for wellness, with an emphasis on the emotional process aspect of resilience. Strategies for stress and anxiety management are reviewed. The workshop is interactive, with large- and small-group discussions, as well as a guided meditation. RESULTS: This workshop was given at the 2017 Council of Faculties Business Meeting at the American Dental Education Association Annual Session, with 40 participants. Workshop evaluations, completed by 34 (85%) attendees, showed an overall rating of 4.0 on a 5-point Likert scale, with 5 = excellent. The workshop was repeated at the School of Dentistry at the University of California, San Francisco, with 11 attendees; there, the overall rating was 4.7. DISCUSSION: In order to contribute to a culture of wellness and resilience in their organization, faculty need training on the concepts, as well as practical skills for implementation. This workshop provides introductory-level knowledge and skills.