Resident Life
There are many people and systems in place, in our program and at our institution, to keep our resident physically and mentally healthy. Should issues arise during your residency with us, please know there are many sources of support and assitance.
WITHIN OUR RESIDENCY PROGRAM
FIRM MENTORING SYSTEM
Our Categorical Residency Program is divided into 5 smaller Residency Learning Communities. These five firms are named after five areas of Worcester (Quinsigamond, Tatnuck, Blackstone, Kelley, and Burncoat) and share the names of the UMass Chan Medical School’s Learning Communities. Our Medicine-Pediatrics and our preliminary interns are integrated into our firms as well.
Each Residency Firm has residents from all three PGY years, an assigned Program Director/ Associate Program Director (APD), and an assigned Master Clinician Educator (MCE). The PD/APD is responsible for regulatory issues (evaluation monitoring and biannual review meetings), career mentoring, and coaching/remediation if needed. The Master Clinician Educator works with each resident on educational growth and mentoring of assigned yearly scholarly activities. Firm residents spend their ambulatory weeks together and often work in teams on Quality Improvement projects. Firm faculty and residents frequently gather during ambulatory weeks for journal clubs and various social/wellness activities. Each firm has allocated social funds. Our Primary Care Leadership Pathway is housed in our Quinsigamond and Tatnuck Firms.
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Our Primary Care Residents will benefit from the above firm system as well. Although we are still planning, we anticipate Primary Care residents will be placed in Quinsigamond and/or Kelley Firms. As part of the Primary Care Residency, Primary Care residents will have a dedicated Primary Care Core Faculty mentor throughout their 3 years of training. We anticipate this relationship to be strong, with focus on professional goals, personal well-being, and scholarship.
WELLNESS COMMITTEE
The UMass Internal Medicine Wellness Committee was formed as the result of a multi-year resident Quality Improvement project by former residents. Now chaired by Dr. Vandana Nagpal from the Division of Palliative Medicine, this committee meets quarterly and has resident members from all PGY years and Firms. All residents are invited to participate. Topics discussed vary throughout the year.
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SESSIONS
The UMass Chan Behavioral Health Psychologist, Tina Runyan, PhD, meets quarterly with the PGY1 and PGY2 classes. These sessions are highly rated by all attendees. Sessions are sometimes run as a balint session, but other times, mindfulness exercises are taught and practiced.
MINDFUL ROUNDING-Back to Bedside Initiative
The Mindful Rounding Initiative involves a daily mindfulness activity to be completed in between each patient encounter on rounds. This was designed to re-center everyone and improve the quality of time we spend with patients on rounds and the efficiency of rounds.
MINDFUL ROUNDING-Back to Bedside Initiative
The Mindful Rounding Initiative involves a daily mindfulness activity to be completed in between each patient encounter on rounds. This was designed to re-center everyone and improve the quality of time we spend with patients on rounds and the efficiency of rounds.
WITHIN UMASS GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION
UMass Chan wins the 2019 ACGME and Arnold P. Gold Foundation DeWitt C. Baldwin, Jr. Award
In 2019, UMass was honored to win The ACGME and Arnold P. Gold Foundation DeWitt C. Baldwin, Jr. Award, which recognizes institutions with accredited residency/fellowship programs that are exemplary in fostering a respectful, supportive environment for medical education and the delivery of patient care, which leads to the personal and professional development of learners.
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University of Massachusetts Medical School; Worcester, Massachusetts; Thomas J. Nasca, MD, MACP, President and Chief Executive Officer; DeLonda Y. Dowling, Awards Program Liaison; Deborah M. DeMarco, MD, FACP, Designated Institutional Official, Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education, Professor of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology; Marilyn Leeds, MPH, Administrative Director for Graduate Medical Education; Terence Flotte, MD, Dean, Provost and Executive Deputy Chancellor; Diane M. Hartmann, MD, ACGME Awards Committee Chair; Elizabeth Cleek, PsyD, Arnold P. Gold Foundation Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President.
Well-being Website
UMass Chan has a website for residents, fellows, and faculty, dedicated to Well-being. Here you will find contact information for a Psychiatrist and Behavioral Psychologist, who are available to residents. These services are confidential. Coverage is provided if you need time off to attend a medical or mental health appointments. https://umassmed.edu/well-being/.
UMass Chan Resident Appreciation Week
GME sponsors an annual “Resident Appreciation Week.” Typically in February/March, residents are pampered with free tea/coffee, raffles, chair massage, ice cream socials, and other fun activities.
ACROSS UMASS CHAN MEDICAL SCHOOL/UMASS MEMORIAL HEALTH CARE
UMass Fitness Center
Located on the University Campus in the Albert Sherman Center, this fitness center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The fee is $25 per month for all UMass employees. With many insurance plans, the fees can be refunded, making the cost very affordable. Membership includes the use of the ASC Fitness Center and all its amenities including group fitness classes such as spinning, strength, kickboxing, pilates, yoga, barre, Zumba, HIIT, aerobics, free orientations and fitness assessments. The Fitness Center is staffed Monday through Thursday, 6 am to 7 pm and Friday 6 am to 6 pm. For details and more information visit the UMass ASC Fitness Center website at: www.ascfitnesscenter.com, email: Fitnesscenter@umassmed.edu or call at 774-455-3500.
Farmers' Market
The Farmers’ Market on University Campus is from 1-5 on Tuesdays beginning in early July through October.
Join weekly 15-minute weekly mindfulness sessions that are led by UMass Center for Mindfulness teachers. In the sessions, you will be provided with instruction and opportunities for: Reflection, Mindfulness practice, Dialogue, Conceptual and experiential learning
You may join the program on any Monday. The intention is that it will become a regular and valued part of your UMass Memorial and Medical School experience.
