Use the Resident Wellness Program
Make sure to familiarize yourself with resources that are available through the Resident Wellness program, in addition to support provided by Learner Support Services and your LAO. For more information regarding the Resident Wellness program, please see the Resident Wellness Handout.
Your Resident Wellness supports can be accessed by contacting:
Dr. Sean Sullivan
Assistant Dean, Resident Affairs
residentwellness@nosm.ca
Stay safe when on the road
The distributed nature of NOSM University Postgraduate Medical Education programs means our residents spend quite a bit of time on the road, and our Northern weather can sometimes make our highways unsafe. If ever you judge the conditions to be unsafe for highway travel, we prefer that you stay off the road. If this causes you to show up late for the first day of your next rotation, or an academic session, so be it! Contact your program coordinator as soon as possible so alternative arrangements can be made, for example teleconferencing. There is no penalty for keeping yourself safe. Please refer to the Postgraduate Medical Education Resident Safety Policy for additional information pertaining to transportation/travel safety and more.
Remember to take breaks!
The Collective Agreement 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 - Postgraduate Medical Education Leaves of Absence Policy - and read through the Resident Leaves Checklist.
PARO Help Line is available
24-hour Confidential Help Line: Toll-free 1-866-HELP-DOC (1-866-435-7362)
OMA Physician Health Program is available to use
Confidential Toll-Free line: 1-800-851-6606 (in-province) available 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. weekdays
ephysicianhealth
Online physician health and wellness resource which is designed to help medical students, residents and physicians to be resilient in their professional and personal lives. The website is intended to help with personal health issues such as resilience, fitness, substance use disorders, relationships, depression, disruptive behaviour and more.
The Ontario Medical Association Physician Health Program (PHP)
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 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.
Check out the the RDoC Poster: “How do we change the culture? We start by changing the language”.
