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When Elaine M. Wallace, D.O., M.S., M.S., M.S., became dean of Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine (NSU-COM) in 2015, one of her initial aims was to address a problem that has forever plagued medical students – the frequently destructive repercussions that result from dealing with unrelenting stress.During a meeting with the college’s Administrative Council, Dr. Wallace shared the results of a survey entitled “Comprehensive Statewide Multidimensional Evaluation of Medical Student Wellness in the State of Florida” that included student participation from the nine existing Florida medical schools. Although only 22.1 percent of the medical student population completed all or part of the survey, the results were compelling in that they told a story of substance abuse, marked increases in stress and suicidal ideation, and an overall decline in wellness after matriculation. Alarmingly, more than 46 percent of the respondents had recently questioned their decisions to enter the medical profession.
Over the ensuing weeks, Dr. Wallace asked the council members to investigate ways to enhance student wellness, which culminated in the formation of the Student Wellness Committee. Comprised primarily of faculty members, the committee was tasked with the objective of crafting a definitive plan that would address important issues associated with the subject.
Following its inaugural meeting, the committee discussed the wellness topics that would come to define the inaugural event – the Student Wellness Orientation Cruise. “In doing my research of how other medical schools were addressing this problem, I learned of one school that hosted a half-day wellness retreat for its students,” said Barbara Arcos, D.O., associate professor and chair of the Department of Family Medicine who chairs the Student Wellness Committee. “I loved the off-campus retreat concept and took the idea to Dr. Wallace. After gaining her approval and discussing various options, we chose a cruise on the Intracoastal Waterway to be the retreat venue.”
Winnowing down the wellness curriculum topics that would be discussed on the cruise to 10 concise areas was another charge of the committee, which selected themes such as nutrition, addiction, recognizing trouble, relaxation, and stress reduction. “Student wellness has been a passion for me throughout my tenure at NSU,” said Dr. Arcos. “By anyone’s standard, medical school is a rigorous endeavor that continues well beyond medical school. With proper preparation and counseling, every student can increase his or her likelihood of successfully meeting the inevitable challenges that are inherent in a medical career. I believe that adopting wellness coping strategies early in the medical career provides the best opportunity for maintaining health throughout a physician’s lifetime.”
The establishment of a targeted student wellness program is simply a continuation of the college’s overarching goal to promote and provide a holistic approach to health and wellness for all who work and study at the College of Osteopathic Medicine. “The osteopathic profession is based on the paradigm of mind, body, and spirit, in an atmosphere of wellness. Despite this, our medical school education spends years of time teaching us to take care of others, but little time teaching us ways to take care of ourselves,” said Dr. Wallace. “The Student Wellness Committee was designed to assist student doctors in making healthy personal choices throughout their medical careers in order to decrease their likelihood of conditions such as isolation, anxiety, substance usage, obesity, and depression.
“The college’s faculty and employee wellness committees are committed to doing the same,” Dr. Wallace added. “As a result, educational and interactive programs are being presented throughout the year to engage anyone associated with the college in wellness. Our goal is clear – to make the college, and all associated with it, the healthiest place on campus.”
