Wellness Committee
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Who We Are
Mission
Study root causes of burnout and promote wellness and career longevity for AAEM members.
Objectives
- Examine the current state of EM physician wellness and burnout. Publish and disseminate this information.
- Continue to monitor EM physician wellness and burnout and provide regular updates to the Academy.
- Explore and examine possible causes degrading wellness and causing burnout.
- Create best practice models for physician practices that best promote wellness, resilience and minimize burnout.
- Create a physician self assessment tool so Academy members may assess their current state of wellness and risk of burnout.
- Create educational content on wellness, resilience, and burnout. This content should contain self directed activities, online resources, and live presentations and discussions for AAEM Scientific Assembly.
- Recognize physician leaders who have resilient careers and inspirational emergency practices.
- Create a mentoring program between physicians coping with burnout and resilient physicians leaders.
- Create wellness and resilience activities for members at AAEM Scientific Assemblies.
- Explore the correlation between wellness and burnout in different types of practice environments.
Leadership
Chair: Allie Min, MD FAAEM
Vice Chair: Al'ai Alvarez, MD FAAEM
Board Liaison: Robert P. Lam, MD FAAEM
Staff Liaison: Roxanne N. Dobbs
Our Projects
Resource Links
Below are some links to online anonymous self-tests.
- Burnout Survey
- Depression Screen
- Stress Screen
- Promote Resiliency and Prevent Compassion Fatigue: The Helper Pocket Card
From the American Medical Association: Creating the Organizational Foundation for Joy in Medicine™
Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act - AAEM Wellness Committee Statement
Long before the COVID19 pandemic, physicians, especially emergency physicians, have faced significant structural barriers that impede seeking help to address mental health challenges. Health care professionals continue to experience high levels of stress and burnout due to the pandemic. The American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM) and American Academy of Emergency Medicine Resident and Student Association (AAEM/RSA) proudly support the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act. The House of Representatives passed the bill on December 8, 2021, and on February 17, 2022, the Senate passed the bill, and President Biden signed this bill on March 18, 2022.
National Academy of Medicine - Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience
To provide an opportunity for organizations across the country to discuss and share plans of action to reverse clinician burnout and promote clinician well-being, the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) has collected statements describing organizational goals or commitments to action. By sharing their commitment to improving clinician well-being and reducing clinician burnout, these organizations are an active contributor to the NAM’s Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience.
- Read the AAEM organizational commitment statement
- Read the AAEM/RSA organizational commitment statement
- Read all participating organizations commitment statements
Position Statement on Inquiries about Diagnosis and Treatment of Mental Disorders in Connection with Professional Licensing and Credentialing
AAEM endorses the following points regarding inquiries about diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders in connection with professional licensing and credentialing:
- AAEM believes that state licensing boards and credentialing organizations should require physicians to disclose mental disorders only when the disorder currently impairs their judgment or ability to practice.
- AAEM believes that state licensing boards and credentialing organizations should refrain from asking about past history of mental disorders as such inquiries discourage professionals from getting treatment that could prevent impairment.
References:
AMA Policy
Access to Confidential Health Services for Medical Students and Physicians H-295.858
https://policysearch.ama-assn.org/policyfinder/detail/physician%20suicide?uri=%2FAMADoc%2FHOD-295.858.xml
APA Position Statement
Position Statement on Inquiries about Diagnosis and Treatment of Mental Disordersin Connection with Professional Credentialing and Licensing
https://www.psychiatry.org/File%20Library/About-APA/Organization-Documents-Policies/Policies/Position-2018-Inquiries-about-Diagnosis-and-Treatment-of-Mental-Disorders-in-Connection-with-Professional-Credentialing-and-Licensing.pdf
AAEM Position Statement on Interruptions in the Emergency Department
- Interruptions in the Emergency Department (4/23/2022)
- A Collaborative Statement between the AAEM Clinical Practice and Wellness Committees
Publications of Wellness Committee Members
Perfectionism: Our Dangerous Frenemy
Common Sense November/December 2021
Ilene Claudius, MD FAAEM*, Al’ai Alvarez, MD FAAEM, and Andrew Grock, MD
From Hero to Zero: Naiken, COVID-19, and Ways to Develop Empathy Despite Patients’ Challenging Life Choices
Common Sense November/December 2021
Andrew Grock, MD, Al’ai Alvarez, MD FAAEM, and Ilene Claudius, MD FAAEM
Verbal Abuse
Common Sense July/August 2021 (PDF)
Robyn Hitchcock, MD FAAEM
Bringing Wellness to Your Organization: Highlights from the AAEM Leadership Academy 2021
Common Sense May/June 2021 (PDF)
Al’ai Alvarez, MD FAAEM and Robert Lam, MD FAAEM
It’s Time to Take Care of Those Who Take Care of Us
Common Sense March/April 2021 (PDF)
Robert Lam, MD FAAEM
Peer Coaching: A Strategy for Development and Wellbeing
Common Sense January/February 2021 (PDF)
Alice A. Min, MD FAAEM and Carol Pak-Teng, MD FAAEM
Gratitude and Appreciation Amidst Chaos and Uncertainty: Awaken Humanity at Work
Common Sense September/October 2020 (PDF)
Al’ai Alvarez, MD FAAEM and Robert Lam, MD FAAEM
Interruptions in the Emergency Department and the Myth of Multitasking
Common Sense July/August 2020 (PDF)
Andrew Grock, MD FAAEM and Al’ai Alvarez, MD FAAEM
Promoting Social Connection during COVID-19
Common Sense Special Issue: AAEM Tales of COVID-19
Al'ai Alvarez, MD FAAEM; Dr. Aneesha Dhargalkar, MD FAAEM; Carole Levy, MD MPH FAAEM; and Robert Lam, MD FAAEM
Physician Wellness: Just a Dream without Due Process
Common Sense May/June 2020 (PDF)
Megan Healy, MD FAAEM; Al’ai Alvarez, MD FACEP FAAEM; and Alice Min, MD FAAEM
On-Shift Eating and Drinking: A Simple Strategy on Addressing Physician Burnout
Common Sense March/April 2020 (PDF)
Al’ai Alvarez, MD FACEP FAAEM
Physician Burnout - A Systems Problem Requiring a Systems Solution
Common Sense November/December 2019 (PDF)
Aneesha Dhargalkar, MD
Connecting to Purpose and Restoring Meaning
Common Sense May/June 2019 (PDF)
Mary Jane Brown, MD FAAEM and Larisa Coldebella, MD
National Academy of Medicine Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience
Common Sense March/April 2019 (PDF)
Mary Jane Brown, MD FAAEM
Making Stress Work for You (or Thriving with Scars)
EM News December 2018
Annahieta Kalantari, DO FAAEM
Reverse the Victimization Trend and Make Institutional Change
EM News November 2018
Kelly Barringer, MD; Dave Buller; John Cienki, MD; Lawrence Deluca, EdD MD; Matt Freeman, MNP MPH; Kristi Grall, MD; Rick Johnson, MD; Robert Lam, MD FAAEM; Kira Staggs; Lisa Stoneking, MD FAAEM; Elizabeth Vermilyea, PhD
Group Therapy on Tap
EM News October 2018
Robert Lam, MD FAAEM; Joshua Schiller, MD FAAEM; and Matt Zuckerman, MD FAAEM
Promoting Wellness in Resident Physicians: A Program Directors Approach
Common Sense September/October 2018 (PDF)
Lisa Stoneking, MD FAAEM
I Came Back from Depression, and So Can You
EM News September 2018
David Hoyer, MD FAAEM
Being Vulnerable Set Me Free from Guilt and Shame
EM News August 2018
Loice Swisher, MD FAAEM
Emergency Medicine Still Revs Our Engines, So Why Do We Feel Like We're Running on Empty?
Common Sense July/August 2018 (PDF)
Larissa Coldebella, MD
What 'The Resident' Got Right
EM News July 2018
Amy Faith Ho, MD
Late Career Resiliency: Is It Time to Make a Change?
Common Sense March/April 2018 (PDF)
David Lawhorn, MD MAAEM FAAEM
The Intensity of EM, the Healing Power of Art
EM News April 2018
Joshua Schiller, MD FAAEM and Mary Jane Brown, MD FAAEM
A Friend's Death Guides EP from Burnout to Joy
EM News February 2018
David Lawhorn, MD MAAEM FAAEM
Work-Life Balance and the Search for Bigfoot
Common Sense January/February 2018 (PDF)
Annahieta Kalantari, DO FAAEM
The Struggle of Second Victim Syndrome
EM News January 2018
Robert Lam, MD FAAEM
Building Resilience Through Food
Common Sense November/December 2017 (PDF)
Madhu Hardasmalanim, MD FAAEM
The Quest for the Best Wellness Program for Residents
EM News October 2017
Lisa Stoneking, MD FAAEM
Resuscitating Resilience
Common Sense September/October 2017 (PDF)
Robert Lam, MD FAAEM
Life Balance and the Search for Bigfoot
EM News September 2017
Ak Kalantari, MD FAAEM
Building Resilience through Yoga
EM News August 2017
Madhu Hardasmalani, MD AAP FAAEM
My Own Wellness Story
Common Sense July/August 2017 (PDF)
Madhu Hardasmalani, MD FAAEM
Burnout is Not Really Your Fault (Not Entirely)
EM News July 2017
Robert Lam, MD FAAEM
MEdIC: The Case of the Fatiguing Fourth Year
ALiEM December 2016
Loice Swisher, MD FAAEM
The Elusive Resilient Career in Emergency Medicine
Common Sense November/December 2016 (PDF)
Robert Lam, MD FAAEM
Suicide Prevention and Awareness
National Physician Suicide Awareness Day
In order to address the issue of physician suicide, the Council of Emergency Medicine Residency Directors (CORD), in collaboration with AAEM, ACEP, ACOEP, EMRA, RSA, RSO and SAEM have come together to annually dedicate September 17th as National Physician Suicide Awareness (NPSA) Day. Learn more.
#BeThe1To
AAEM and RSA have also partnered with the #BeThe1To campaign. #BeThe1To is a campaign organized by the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and the Mental Health Association of New York City. AAEM has partnered with 6 other emergency medicine organizations to customize this campaign for emergency physicians. The partner organizations include:
- American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP)
- American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians (ACOEP)
- Council of Emergency Medicine Residency Directors (CORD)
- Emergency Medicine Residents' Association (EMRA)
- AAEM Resident and Student Association (RSA)
- Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM)'
Download the emergency medicine #BeThe1To graphics kit to share and spread the word!
Take 5 to Save Lives
AAEM has partnered with the Take 5 to Save Lives campaign. The five steps identified by the National Council for Suicide Prevention (NCSP) are:
#DocsTalkSuicide
Share your story using #DocsTalkSuicide on Twitter. Join the conversation and see you're not alone.
Breaking the Silence: Preventing Physician Suicide
A spotlight on physician suicide based on a personal struggle.
Presented by Loice Swisher, MD FAAEM at AAEM17.
Residents and Students: Learn more about how you can get involved in the AAEM Resident and Student Association (RSA) Wellness Committee.
How can you get involved?
- Share the emergency medicine customized #BeThe1To steps
- Share the Take 5 to Save Lives images
- Join the conversation by using #DocsTalkSuicide
- Take a moment of silence at morning and/or evening rounds on NPSA Day