At Kaiser Central Valley, we believe that the best physicians are the happiest and most balanced physicians. We achieve work-life balance for our residents through our comprehensive residency Wellness Program, led by a dedicated Wellness Champion. We have a large, coordinated infrastructure to support the well-being and resiliency of their physician workforce. The infrastructure supports and promotes preventative care, healthy living, mental health, second-victim support, work-life balance, and peer-peer counseling and mentoring.
- Stipends earmarked specifically for local fitness center memberships, to the tune of $800 annually!
- Meditation room, healing garden, and walking path around the Modesto Medical Center.
- Biannual wellness retreats
- Resiliency small group sessions: facilitated debriefing on the challenges residents face (staying connected to family; handling grief and death; ways to prevent burnout, etc)
- Access to confidential wellness check-ins with mental health counselors
- Regular Wellness activities: ranging from potlucks to barbecues, pickleball, basketball games, journal clubs, sporting events, happy hours, and game nights
- Free subscriptions to headspace and the calm app
Quarterly Resident Council Meetings
We have quarterly resident-council meetings led by our chief residents. This allows residents to discuss issues, concerns and ideas that they might not bring directly to the faculty.
Faculty Mentors and Houses
Moreover, we have assigned faculty advisors and mentors who help navigate the waters of life and residency, aid with professional development and enhance the residents’ opportunities to succeed in the training program and in their subsequent careers in EM.
To foster camaraderie and wellness, residents are also grouped into Houses small, supportive communities within the program. Each House participates in friendly competitions throughout the year, all leading up to the highly anticipated annual House Cup. These events build connection across classes and add a fun, spirited element to residency life.
