The ACGME Introduces Comprehensive Well-Being Resource for Medical Education Transitions
2024年5月24日 - 1:05AM
The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)
today unveiled a new learning resource designed to support the
mental health and well-being of residents and others in the
clinical learning environment during key transitional phases. This
resource, spearheaded by ACGME Vice President, Well-Being Stuart
Slavin, MD, MEd, addresses the inherent challenges and stressors
associated with the transition from medical school to residency and
beyond.
“Mental Health and Well-Being During Transitions” acknowledges
the increased responsibilities, potential self-doubt, and stress of
relocating and separation from support networks that can accompany
movement from medical school to residency, between post-graduate
years, and from residency into fellowship or medical
practice.
“We are acutely aware of the stressful challenges faced during
transitions in medical education, especially for new residents,”
said Dr. Slavin. “This new resource for the graduate medical
education community will aid in not only understanding these
challenges but actively providing solutions and
support.”
Raising awareness about these vulnerable periods and providing
actionable strategies and interventions to assist programs and
institutions in offering necessary support is the most recent
manifestation of the ACGME’s commitment to physician well-being.
These resources outline a variety of institutional and program
strategies to combat threats to mental health.
Suggested interventions include:
- Setting limits on patient loads for first-year
residents
- Regular check-ins and feedback from senior residents and
faculty members
- Social gatherings and peer support programs to mitigate
isolation
- Opt-out mental health appointments to encourage use of mental
health resources
- Training on implicit bias and microaggressions
- Awareness by program leadership about risk associated with
institutional factors, such as research ranking and
altitude
Additionally, featured strategies, like “Opt-out Mental Health
Programs” and the “Transition to Residency Risk Index (TRRI),”
further support resident and fellow physicians. There is also
access to ACGME podcasts and a video workshop with a facilitator
guide to address common problematic mindsets, such as the impostor
phenomenon.
The “Mental Health and Well-Being During Transitions” resources
are now accessible in the ACGME's distance learning
portal, Learn at ACGME.
***
The ACGME is a private, non-profit, professional organization
responsible for the accreditation of 13,066 residency and
fellowship programs and the 886 institutions that sponsor these
programs in the United States. Residency and fellowship programs
educate close to 160,000 resident and fellow physicians in 182
specialties and subspecialties. The ACGME's Mission is to improve
health care and population health by assessing and enhancing the
quality of resident and fellow physicians' education through
advancements in accreditation and education.
Susan Holub
Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
sholub@acgme.org