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How We Built and Iteratively Refined a Five-Pillar Surgical Residency Wellness Program
Ashley Toussaint1, Aashka Patel1, Nell Maloney Patel1
1Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.
Journal of Surgical Education
|July 23, 2026
Summary
A general surgery residency developed a five-pillar wellness program, finding that peer support was highly utilized. Program adjustments focused on integrating wellness into the clinical day to boost engagement and sustainability for graduate medical education.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Surgical Residency Wellness
- Graduate Medical Education Initiatives
Background:
- Physician burnout is a significant concern in graduate medical education.
- General surgery residents face unique stressors impacting well-being.
- Comprehensive wellness programs are crucial for resident support and retention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To detail the creation, implementation, and adaptation of a five-pillar wellness program for a general surgery residency.
- To identify key lessons for developing sustainable wellness initiatives in medical training.
- To improve resident well-being and program engagement through iterative refinement.
Main Methods:
- Descriptive program evaluation utilizing internal assessments of resident engagement and utilization.
- Data collection focused on participation rates and feedback across program components.
- Iterative program improvements guided by resident needs and accessibility.
Main Results:
- The program encompassed five pillars: Resident Support, Faculty/Institutional Resources, Wellness Events, Personal Development, and Education/Awareness.
- Peer support and confidential services showed high utilization.
- After-hours events and some institutional resources had lower participation; protected wellness time was impacted by clinical duties.
Conclusions:
- Multifaceted wellness programs require continuous evaluation and adaptation to resident needs.
- Integrating wellness into the clinical day and incorporating feedback enhances engagement and sustainability.
- This adaptable framework provides a model for other surgical residency programs to implement resident-responsive wellness initiatives.
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