Emergency Medicine Well-Being Committee
Mission Statement:
To improve the health, well-being, and sense of community of Harbor-UCLA EM residents by identifying sources of fatigue, moral injury, and system-level challenges, while promoting the awareness of habits, resources, and opportunities that improve the quality of life of our residents.
The Emergency Medicine Well-Being Committee was initially set up as a resident initiative to improve and promote the health of residents within the program. Working in conjunction with the faculty, the committee has grown and expanded to a GME-wide program within the hospital.
Latest News in Harbor-UCLA Wellness
We have been fortunate to receive a grant recently with funds specifically focused on resident wellness, aiming to improve their physical health and ensure comfort within the hospital. Some previous interventions include a monthly healthy snack stipend, available filtered water, HelloFresh Meal Boxes, and funds for physical fitness.
Wellness and Mentorship Programs
Peer (Big-Little Sib) Mentor Program
This mentoring program is for residents, by residents. It exists to identify a peer that an individual can go to through the good times and the bad, while making it easier to get help, should the need arise. Big Sibs (R3 paired with R1 and R4 paired with R2) provide mentorship and a welcome meal for their little sibs while they are on the SICU rotation and throughout the year. They also perform “check-ins” in a format of their choice to assess their well-being.
Buddy Group Program
A group of two to three faculty members with recent alumni and a member from each current PGY class creating a “family” community for peer mentoring and camaraderie. Faculty and residents go out for a meal or fun activity (mini-golf, hiking, pottery making, standup, etc.) every quarter, providing an additional point of contact for resident buddies.
Sub-Intern Mentoring Program
This program helps medical students interested in Emergency Medicine navigate their rotation at Harbor as well as their upcoming interview season. R3 and R4 residents hold two in-person meetings as well as at least one text/phone call throughout the three- to four-week rotation. Communication continues as needed beyond the rotation.
Shout-Out Program
moments of excellence on and off shift. To shout out those within the Emergency Department (residents, fellows, faculty, nurses, RTs, social workers, techs, clerks, etc.), fill out a card and place it in the box available in each doctor workroom or submit it online. We read these shout-outs at conferences each week and then give them to the recipients.
Women in EM
Created to help empower and support women in EM, we hold Cheese and Whine nights at resident and faculty homes to promote positive and supportive environments for women to discuss gender-related issues, generate innovative solutions, and provide mentorship and avenues for advocacy. Dr. Birnbaumer also provides scholarships to go to the FeminEM FIX conference each year.
Wellness Reflections
Purpose
An anonymous email account where residents can submit personal essays, reflections, or poetry that reflect the human experience of Harbor EM residents.
How to:
1. Login to the email address: [email protected]
2. Password: TheBrave18
3. Click “Compose”
4. Send to: [email protected]
5. Subject: Title of your submission or leave it blank
6. Body: Type in your reflection OR include it as an attachment
7. Sign: Anonymous, or you may include your name
8. Press “Send”
Mental, Physical, and Spiritual Support
Mental Health Support
Residents at Harbor-UCLA get protected time to meet with a GME Clinical Psychologist for therapy and counseling as needed, with referrals provided if ongoing therapy is required.
Physical Health Support
Residents get protected time multiple times per year to attend physician/dental clinics as needed.
Multiple groups within the residency program promote exercise within the class through cycling, surfing, running, volleyball, and other activities.
The resident rounding room is fully stocked (and restocked monthly) with coffee, drinks, snacks, and meals for providers throughout the day and to utilize when the cafeteria is closed.
After call shifts, when residents may be too tired to drive, they are provided reimbursement for rideshare (Uber/Lyft) rides, keeping in mind their safety.
Spiritual Health Support
A group of Harbor EM residents and faculty have taken the initiative to come together to practice and share their faith. This community has proven valuable when shift schedules preclude attending traditional services.
Academic Wellness
Longitudinal Wellness Lecture Series
We incorporate a resident-led and designed wellness lecture series into the longitudinal conference teaching throughout the year, covering important topics such as dealing with stress, mindfulness, difficult patients, leadership, and financial stability.
Wellness Research
Harbor-UCLA Emergency Medicine has been involved in multiple wellness studies and research. It is currently one of ten sites involved in an EMF Grant focused on studying the physician stressors and coping mechanisms associated with COVID-19.
DEM Wellness Facult
Consultant of the Year Award & Annual “Chili Cook Off”
Weekend off & Retreats
Department Retreat
Each year, we have a protected, weekend-long retreat at UCLA Bruin Woods Center in Lake Arrowhead. Everyone always looks forward to traditions like Slip-n-Slide Kickball and the themed costume party.
Class Weekends
Once a year, we schedule each class for an ENTIRE WEEKEND off together. Past classes have enjoyed skiing in Big Bear, wine tasting in Temecula, and more!
Class Retreats
Each class has a one-day retreat mixing learning and socializing. The R2s attend the Base Station Physician course, the R3s complete the Neonatal Resuscitation Program, and the R4s discuss important topics such as job search, negotiations, and financial planning.
PGY4: ACEP Week
The PGY4 class gets an off each year to attend ACEP with the faculty. This is always a great time for class bonding, networking, and investigating job opportunities.
Harbor UCLA Helping Healers Heal (H3) Program
The mission of the H3 Program is to increase awareness of second victim syndrome, destigmatize suffering and seeking help, and provide support to staff through 1:1 peer support, group debriefs, and mental health specialists.
Well-Being of Practitioners Committee, County of Los Angeles, Harbor- UCLA Medical Center
The Well-Being of Practitioners Committee, established in accordance with hospital accreditation requirements, serves to help the members of our medical community who are dealing with issues such as burnout, depression, anxiety, stress, and substance abuse. For some colleagues, these issues may be interfering with their quality of life; for others, their behavior may be putting themselves and/or their patients at risk. Committee members include faculty and residents from various departments. Referrals are seen very quickly, with rapid assistance provided.
The primary function of the committee is to serve as an advocate for the practitioner; it does not have a disciplinary role. The aim is to assist our providers to be well. We hope that by recognizing problems early, before behavior impacts patient care, we can avert disciplinary or credentialing problems. Our evaluation and feedback to individuals is confidential.
Our committee does not provide direct treatment, but does provide referrals and information about community resources and venues where practitioners can receive further evaluation and treatment, if necessary. Sometimes, providers have had an acute personal crisis or have been involved in a hospital-related event. Other times, a more chronic issue has begun to manifest itself. Over the years, the committee has made many confidential referrals in such instances. Another function of the committee is that it may occasionally ask a committee member to be a part of a practitioner’s monitoring program if deemed appropriate (e.g. substance abuse).
We accept referrals in two ways. First, a practitioner can self-refer if they feel that a problem exists or if they wish to chat about issues that might be affecting their life. Second, we can receive referrals from concerned colleagues. We hold these calls in strict confidence if that is the wish of the caller, but the caller would need to identify themselves to the committee member. Referrals can come directly to the Chair of the Committee (Ira Lesser, MD) or any of the members.
If you have concerns about yourself or a colleague, we invite you to contact one of the members of the committee. We hope that we continue to keep our Harbor medical peers healthy. Please call if you have questions about any of these services.
Ira Lesser
Chair, Department of Psychiatry
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Professor and Vice Chair
Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences
Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
GMEC Interdepartmental Resident Well-being Committee (partnered with CIR)
Contact: [email protected]
Harbor- UCLA Graduate Medical Education (GME) Resources
The GMEC Resident Well-Being Committee focuses on supporting resident wellness from all specialties. Recent events include Open Mic Nights to share stories and poetry, Thank a Resident Day, and coordination of ice cream socials.
At Harbor, we have a full-time psychologist dedicated to supporting our housestaff. She provides short-term counseling, referrals, and flexible confidential appointments. Dr. Abou-Ziab has formal training in a variety of important Psychotherapeutic approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), Substance Abuse Training, Suicidal Behavior Crisis and Intervention Treatment, as well as a special interest in trauma.
Hoda Abou-Ziab, PsyD.
Director of GME Wellbeing
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
(Phone) (424) 306-6187
Harbor-UCLA Healers Helping Healers (H3) Program: [email protected]
Harbor-UCLA Clinical Psychologist (Hoda Abou-Ziab, PsyD): [email protected] or 424-306-6187 (Monday-Friday)
National Suicide Prevention Line (24 hrs): 1-800-273-8255 (TALK)
Crisis Text Line (24 hours): Text 741-741 from anywhere in the US
Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Center: 310-391-1253
California Medical Association (CMA): 213-383-2691
CIR Well-Being Resources
Annual Well-Being Events
Learn More