SAEM PULSE | MAY-JUNE 2022
EM Wellness Initiatives: Oregon Health & Science University
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The RAMS Wellness Committee, in conjunction with the SAEM Wellness Committee, will be highlighting wellness initiatives from emergency medicine (EM) programs around the country in a recurring wellness section of SAEM Pulse. Our hope is that this section will share ideas on EM-led wellness initiatives and continue emphasizing the importance of these activities for residents and medical students. For this issue, we talked to Ethan Kimball, DO, First Tuesday lead team member; Cam Upchurch, MD, chief resident; Ryanne Mayersak, MD, associate program director and director for resident wellness; and David Jones, MD, program director in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). What is a unique wellness initiative that your program has for its residents? Or what wellness initiative at your program are you most proud of? Our residency provides many avenues to maintain wellness and an overall work-life balance. We call one of our best events “First Tuesday,” which
provides four hours of protected time on the first Tuesday evening of every month. This resident led initiative focuses on wellness, education, interests, and meeting the needs of our residents. The topics for First Tuesday span landmark journal article reviews, complex cases managed in our emergency department, intriguing guest speakers, as well as fun bonding/ wellness activities. Prior to COVID, we would meet in person at a local venue for food, socializing, and the scheduled event. Since COVID began, we the event has largely been virtual with a few outdoor, in-person events when it has been deemed safe. Some of our recent in-person events have included renting boats on the Willamette River and Journal club in the park. With the emergence of the Delta variant, we returned to our virtual format but have maintained wellness through games such as trivia. What aspect of resident life at your program do you think has the biggest positive impact on residents? Portland as a city offers many fun activities to allow for an appropriate
work-life balance. Our city has many restaurants, bars, theaters, and sporting venues and attracts national musicians, comedians, and other performers. Additionally, Portland has invested in its parks and natural forests. This investment offers miles of local hikes and a plethora of picnic areas in addition to many public basketball and tennis courts, soccer fields, and more. Portland is ideally located so that a day trip to the coast for a beach day or to Mt. Hood for year-round snow sports is possible. On-campus, OHSU has a student center with a basketball court, gym, and swimming pool that all residents have access to. Most importantly, our scheduling allows our residents to take advantage of these local treasures. Our emergency department uses seven-, eight-, and nine-hour shifts, allowing for time before or after a shift to enjoy all the above. What diversity and inclusion wellness initiatives does your program have? As aforementioned, First Tuesday is protected time that covers a wide scope of topics for our residents, faculty, and staff. After our country
