
The Postgraduate Medical Education Wellness Program
Residency is a unique opportunity to learn, grow and set the stage for the rest of your career. Residency also has its challenges. While you will face high expectations, the NOSM University Postgraduate Wellness program aims to ensure you also have a high degree of support. The mission of the Wellness Program is to assist our residents in achieving the knowledge and skills to develop healthy and productive professional identities during this important transitional time. The framework of the program includes occupational/academic health, physical health, emotional health and social health.
Our highest priority is providing and coordinating supports for residents who have specific health needs, whether pre-existing or arising during residency. Wellness Program personnel will assist residents with finding and coordinating health resources, as well as working with residency programs to accommodate the learning and training environment if needed. The program also includes proactive components for all residents such as: a wellness curriculum, promoting safe housing and transportation, ensuring your duty hour and leave protections are respected, cultural supports, and guidance with developing a healthy and productive professional identity.
NOSM U Well – Resident Wellness App
The Wellness Program has developed a “Residents” section within the interactive wellness app NOSM U Well. The Residents section in the App, delivers easily accessible, secure, up-to-date wellness information to you around the clock, in any setting! View the NOSM U Well app features here, and download the app below:
To link to the culture.nosm.ca I need help section for NOSM University Resident supports.
About Us
Primary Care
Accommodations
Direct Support
Learner Support Services is delighted to announce the new Student Assistance Program (SAP) from Homewood Health, replacing the EFAP Lifeworks by Morneau Shepell.
Starting September 1st, 2022, all NOSM University learners will have access to the SAP services through Homewood Health. Homewood Health is known for its personal touch and exceptional level of clinical service delivery. The SAP program from Homewood Health will include several new services and will provide access to a full range of health and wellness services:
Homewood Pathfinder
Homewood Pathfinder is your solution for today’s complex world. It offers you a wealth of expert tools and resources, a curated care path and SAP service recommendations based on your individual needs and preferences. With Homewood Pathfinder, you select your preferred approach to access support. You can choose from a digital experience, a fully ‘live’ experience by telephone, or a blended experience. This choice improves your SAP by allowing you to instantly access tools, resources, and service recommendations in the way you are most comfortable with.
Counselling Services
Counselling services are available over the telephone, by video, face-to-face, or online. The counsellors are highly qualified with a minimum of a master’s degree, typically in social work or psychology. The counselling is based on a short-term model with a solution-focused approach that is meant to help people understand their concerns and develop a plan of action to address them.
Life Smart Coaching
This is a series of work-life services that include parenting, childcare and eldercare, legal consultation by qualified lawyers, financial guidance through certified financial experts, nutritional coaching by Registered Dietitians, and career coaching, which includes pre-retirement and shiftwork guidance provided by career counsellors and smoking cessation support. Each service has been developed to allow you to take a proactive approach to manage everyday challenges and life transitions and receive information and support that suits your unique situation. Mostly, these services are delivered by telephone and often include an assessment, a personalized package of information and useful tools with your best interests in mind.
How To Access Services
Please visit Homewood Health’s website at visit www.Homeweb.ca and log into Member Services to access the SAP online services.
All learners can access any Homewood Health EFAP services beginning September 1st, 2022.
If you are in crisis, immediate support is available through Homewood Health. Please be assured that the program is completely confidential. If you have any questions, you may contact Homewood Health 24/7/365-day at 1-800-663-1142 (EN) or 1-866-398-9505 (FR).
Advocacy
For further information on mistreatment, please visit the “I need help, Crisis Information” link on our resident wellness homepage.
To access our PGME Policy and procedures page please click, PGME Office Policies, Procedures & Forms website.
Wellness Curriculum
Our Partners in Wellness
Ontario Medical Association Physician Health Program (PHP)
The Ontario Medical Association Physician Health Program (PHP) provides a range of direct services to physicians, residents and medical students, as well as supportive services to family members.
The PHP provides confidential support for individuals who are struggling with substance use and mental health concerns, as well as with other behaviours that have a personal and professional impact. The PHP also offers support and education to physician leaders, hospitals, and other worksites; as well as to anyone else who is concerned about a loved one or colleague.
PHP support is responsive, helpful and knowledgeable about local resources. All PHP services are confidential, and residents are referred to appropriate services geared to caring for physicians in their own community, or one nearby if preferred.
The OMA Physician Health Program can be reached through their confidential line at: 1-800-851-6606 (Ontario only). Additional information is available online at php.oma.org.
The Professional Association of Residents of Ontario (PARO)
Paro is your professional association responsible for negotiating and upholding your collective agreement, as well as providing direct support services for its members.
PARO maintains a 24h helpline, which is a confidential support service for residents and their families. The toll-free number is accessible anywhere in Ontario.
PARO Help Line: 1-866-HELP-DOC (1-866-435-7362). Additional information can be found at www.myparo.ca/helpline.
The PARO website also includes wellness information, tips for thriving in residency, and strategies for stress. These and other resources can be found here: www.myparo.ca.
Transportation Safety
Confidentiality
Postgraduate Medical Education Resident Wellness Confidentiality Policy
Leaves Policies
The resident Wellness Program would like to remind residents of the importance of taking breaks. In addition to our support, the Collective Agreement also provides professional time and lieu days. To find out more on the resident responsibilities for sick days, short term and long-term leaves please visit the PGME Office website.
Other Wellness Resources Available
The CMA Wellness Support Line (www.cma.ca) will link Ontario residents to the OMA Physician health program. For Ontario, the Wellness Support Line is 1-800-851-6606 which offers counselling and access to mental health supports to physicians, medical learners and their immediate families. It is a 24/7 bilingual (French and English) service, delivered via Morneau Shepell and is designed to complement existing resources available through physician health programs in provinces and territories across Canada
For further information on their wellness support line, please visit the CMA Support line.
The CMA Physician Wellness Hub
The CMA Physician Wellness Hub (the Hub) is one of the key programs the CMA has created to drive change in the culture of medicine and to promote health and wellness in the medical profession for the benefit of practitioners, the health system and all Canadians. The Hub aims to improve physician wellness individually as well as at the system level and to promote a collaborative approach to physician health and well-being.
The Hub is a national collection of nearly 300 physician health and wellness resources, spanning 22 topics. Resources include original CMA content and curated information from other trusted sources. Information is targeted to physicians, residents and medical students seeking guidance and wellness self-help, and CMA membership is not required to access it. The Hub also has material for those leading wellness initiatives and programs. The CMA will continue to add tools and resources to the Hub, as needs arise and as new materials become available.
The Hub also incorporates two other key CMA health and wellness initiatives: The Wellness Support Line and Wellness Connection and aims to support other high-quality health and wellness initiatives developed by the provincial and territorial physician health programs. The CMA worked collaboratively with the provincial and territorial medical associations and provincial health programs, other medical stakeholders and physicians to leverage their input and enhance resources that are already in place for physicians and medical learners.
The Hub is a tremendous source of all kinds of resources, such as articles, videos, podcasts, etc. It is easily searchable. A quick search of the hub’s content visit their website CMA Hub
Resident Doctors of Canada
RDoC is dedicated to supporting its members’ health and wellness throughout their medical training. Please visit their Website to learn more about how they have taken a leadership role in a number of resident wellness projects.
- RDoC Wellness site link
- Link to the RDoC poster “How do we change the culture? We start by changing the language”. Poster
NOSM University Connections
NOSM University Health Sciences Library- Health and Wellness page
NOSM University Francophone Medical Education
NOSM University Indigenous Medical Education
NOSM University IMG Support and Resources Site
Contact Us: Wellness Program Support
General PG Wellness Contact: pgewellness@nosm.ca
Dr. Diane Whitney
Dr. Diane Whitney Assistant Dean of Resident Affairs Dr. Diane Whitney is a community-based psychiatrist. Her clinical expertise focuses on mood disorders and trauma / PTSD. Her community office is an active teaching site for NOSM University Psychiatry and Family Practice residents and medical students. Dr. Whitney graduated from medical school at Western University in 1988 followed by a rotating internship at Scarborough General Hospital in 1989. Dr. Whitney has been NOSM University faculty since 2010. She was the Program Director of the NOSM University Psychiatry residency program. Dr. Whitney was instrumental in restructuring the program and she was known as a strong advocate for the residents. |
About the Resident Wellness Program
The Assistant Dean of Resident Affairs (ADRA) is responsible for oversight of the Postgraduate Medical Education Wellness Program. The ADRA and Learner Affairs Officer (LAO) represent the wellness interests of all residents to NOSM University and its programs, including providing education, consultation and supports to faculty and administrators. Although the Postgraduate Wellness Program was only started in 2017, it represents an essential resource for residents and clinical fellows. Most importantly for you the postgraduate learner, the ADRA and LAO acts as a confidential resource to PGME learners who need support. If you have a wellness concern that may affect your training, such as discussion of accommodations or return to work processes or to access counselling supports etc., please feel free the Resident Wellness Team as a resource and as a link to other support services. The Resident Wellness Program is also guided by the PGME Wellness Advisory Group which is composed of residents, faculty, staff, and administrators who meet regularly to steer the program and respond to residents’ needs. Residency has the potential to be the most rewarding, formative, and enjoyable time of your life. If you are struggling or just scraping by, please do not hesitate to reach out!