Dr. Ravi Sidhu
This fall marks the 10th anniversary of the UBC Faculty of Medicine’s Resident Wellness Office (RWO) and a decade of enhancing the well-being of UBC resident doctors who are training and providing care in communities across the province.
“Resident doctors spend countless hours serving British Columbians with compassion and skill,” says Dr. Ravi Sidhu, Associate Dean of Postgraduate Medical Education. “It’s our priority to make sure that they feel just as supported throughout their training so that they can continue providing excellent care.”
When the doors first opened in 2013, UBC’s RWO was one of the first of its kind in Canada. Today, almost every medical school across the country has a wellness office dedicated to supporting the wellbeing of their residents.
Rebecca Turnbull
“The Resident Wellness Office helped create a culture shift, one that focuses on encouragement, support and understanding,” says Rebecca Turnbull, one of several resident wellness counsellors who has been with the office since its inception. “Residency can be challenging, and our office helps resident doctors feel seen, heard and supported so they can thrive throughout their training.”
Over the past decade, the RWO has provided more than 10,000 wellness appointments by phone, in-person and virtually. It also offers workshops and specialized support groups, as well as peer and Indigenous Elder support.
Every RWO initiative has been carefully designed by integrating the diverse voices and needs of UBC residents themselves. This year, the office launched a new support group for residents living with ADHD.
Dr. Roger Wong
“Looking ahead, our goal is to grow with residents to create meaningful change to the resident experience through research, needs assessment and ongoing education,” says Turnbull. “And a big part of that is to continue strengthening our programs and services in terms of accessibility, equity, diversity and inclusion.”
As the RWO continues to evolve, Turnbull says another important next step is to share their best practices more widely, helping improve the overall well-being of residents beyond our provincial borders.
It’s these successes that continue to inspire Dr. Roger Wong, Vice Dean of Education with the Faculty of Medicine, who founded the RWO 10 years ago.
“It’s truly amazing and rewarding to see how far the Resident Wellness Office has come,” he says. “The RWO is not only providing important services here at UBC, but is also helping to pave better pathways to wellness for others, meeting the needs of resident doctors and in turn the patients whom they serve.”
For more information, visit the UBC Resident Wellness Office’s website.