Newsletters

POSTED: December 17th, 2025
POSTED IN: 2025 EM Pulse - Q4, EM Pulse - The Official Newsletter of MOCEP, forum, Forum Topic,

By Allison Miller, MD – University of Missouri, Columbia  Emergency Medicine Residency

The concept of “wellness” has been evolving over the past few years, and with that, our approach to wellness at the University of Missouri – Columbia has changed. As the definition broadens past mandatory modules and fitness routines, our Wellness Committee has put in the effort to meet residents where they are, which has fostered an environment that supports reflection, connection, and longevity in our careers. Today, our program focuses on three key dimensions: wellness education, social wellness, and personal wellness.

Wellness Education

Our program takes an intentional approach to wellness education. It is not just a mandatory addition, but a core aspect of our professional development. Our leadership has built a curriculum which integrated wellness into our didactic schedule. This has created space for open discussions about burnout, mindfulness, resilience, and financial well-being.

Over the past two years, our leadership also introduced a residency book club. The books selected have encouraged our residents to think critically about balance, resilience, and personal growth. Our first year, we read Thank You for the Feedback by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen, this encouraged us to think critically about how we process communication in our high-stakes workplace. The second year, we read Grit by Angela Duckworth, this created conversation about perseverance and purpose in the face of our challenging careers.

The goal of these educational opportunities is to give residents time to reflect thoughtfully on wellness. Ultimately, our program’s goal is to equip our residents with the tools to sustain wellness throughout their careers in an intentional and meaningful way.

Social Wellness

When most people think of “residency wellness,” they imagine social gatherings. These are an important and lasting aspect of wellness. They allow us to form social bonds with our peers which ultimately sustain us through the challenges of training and our career. At Mizzou, our Wellness Committee organizes these social events during our didactic time, ensuring we all have the opportunity to participate.

Our events are usually seasonally-themed including happy hours, trail rides, or pumpkin-carving. Attendance is not mandatory, which allows residents to choose to use their wellness time on what is truly restorative to them. For some, that means joining the group, but for others that might mean taking time to rest or spend time with family.

Through these initiatives, the emphasis is placed on forming a sense of autonomy and balance as opposed to just checking the box. Ultimately, our program aims to empower our residents to take ownership of their wellness by providing them with the tools to build authentic connections, deepen self-awareness, and identify what they need to thrive in their residency program.

Personal Wellness

The most innovative changes have come in how we address personal wellness. Under the leadership of Dr. Hannah House, our program has really prioritized on-shift wellness, which recognizes the truth that our experiences during our workday are just as crucial to our wellness as how we recharge afterward.

Over the past two years, Dr. Howse led initiatives that directly impacted our functioning on shift in the Emergency Department. She established a snack fund to ensure our resident lounge is stocked with nourishing, filling options. She recognized that no one can perform their best when they’re hungry mid-shift. She also led efforts to replace outdated and nonfunctioning tech equipment, including getting individual dragons for residents who wanted one. This recognized that few things erode morale faster than technology that doesn’t work when you need it most.

These projects reflect a deep truth that wellness isn’t always about grand programs or retreats, but sometimes it’s about making the little things smoother, more human, and more sustainable.

As the meaning of wellness evolves, so does our program. Our leadership does a fantastic job at acknowledging that wellness is more than a checklist or one event. It’s truly a culture which grows through reflection, authentic community, and small daily actions that remind us why we chose Emergency Medicine in the first place.

The goal has never been to define wellness for the residents, but to give them space and support to create their own definition. Whether it’s created in a quiet moment of mindfulness, a shared laugh on a trail ride, or a functioning dictation device for each shift, all of these pieces contribute to a greater whole, a healthy and fulfilled community of physicians.