The BWH Internal Medicine Residency Humanistic Curriculum began in 1992 to foster resident well-being and humanistic qualities while preventing trainee burnout that can compromise personal and professional satisfaction.  Interns are groups into cohorts that are co-facilitated by faculty in Internal Medicine and Psychiatry.  The first session is an introductory retreat, and groups subsequently meet once monthly over lunch for 8 sessions to discuss specific topics that include making mistakes, bias and compassion, resilience, and end of life issues. (Readings and other materials are provided to help facilitate the discussion). The groups also participate in a “Night at the Museum” that occurs once during the fall and aims to explore how artistic works allow physicians-in-training to connect to humanistic values.  This year we are transitioning to an innovative virtual Night at the Museum.

Based on excellent resident feedback, we will continue “Project SafeSpace” within the Junior Humanistic Curriculum. Project SafeSpace is a curriculum adapted from the Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Resident (HAEMR) which establishes processing groups where residents can discuss challenging experiences as a group under the guidance of trained mental health professionals.  Under the new format each ambulatory junior resident cohort will meet for an hour with a trained psychologist four times throughout the year. The sessions will include time for processing and open discussion, as well as dedicate time to teaching skills for emotional regulation. There is guaranteed 100% confidentiality and insights from the group are not shared with program leadership, unless a participant expresses suicidal ideation. The clinical psychologists are not affiliated with the BWH and do not work clinically with internal medicine residents, which we think is part of the value of this program! Evaluation of the program is ongoing.

While housestaff have many evaluators, letter-writers and mentors, the coaching program provides the opportunity to work with a faculty member who can help foster professional development in a non-evaluative coaching role.   All categorical interns (including Primary Care and Medicine-Pediatrics) are paired with a coach outside their area of professional interest who has participated in training to develop their coaching skills.   The goal is to establish a safe environment for interns to reflect on their performance, honestly discuss their professional development, and identify and understand how to optimize their strengths to overcome challenges and stressors.  Recognizing that our Black and LatinX residents face additional challenges and stressors, we have made a concerted effort to recruit more UIM faculty as coaches this year — while also remaining committed as a residency program to address systemic issues that contribute to these additional stressors.

The Faculty / Trainee Mental Health Program provides rapid-access (usually within 72 hours of initial contact) mental health consultations in the form of a free, confidential, 30-minute visit with a psychiatrist or psychologist.  There is the opportunity for six follow up visits.  The program has been operational since May 2018. This year we will continue to offer opt-out appointments to this program for all interns.

All BWH IM residents have free access to the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA), Longwood Symphony and the Boston Symphony performances.  Facilitated teambuilding exercises are held at the MFA during their integrated teaching unit experiences, and have reflective explorations at the Museum with their humanistic curriculum group once during their intern year.