College
- Center City Campus
- Sidney Kimmel Medical College
Degree Earned
- Residency
Call to Actions
Leadership
- Program Director, Medical Residency Program
- Program Director, Medical Education Clerkship
- Professor, Radiation Oncology
Program Contact
111 S. 11th Street
Bodine Cancer Center - Gibbon
Philadelphia, PA 19107
- 215-955-5669
- 215-955-0412 (fax)
Residency Wellness Initiative
Residents at a 2021 Phillies game
The Jefferson Radiation Oncology Residency program recognizes that holistic wellness is an important part of a sustainable career as a productive radiation oncologist. To this end, we have created the Residency Wellness Initiative. This has been spearheaded by current resident Ayesha Ali, MD, who wanted to create a smooth transition for our incoming trainees. The Wellness Initiative focuses on four areas: 1) professional, 2) physical, 3) psychological, and 4) social well-being.
We will have lectures throughout the year to ensure our residents are educated on the importance of decreasing stress, eating healthier meals, and getting sufficient rest. The SKMC Department for Integrative Medicine & Nutritional Sciences assists our department in designing the program. We are also planning a Wellness Day, when residents will be relieved of duties for a day to explore massage therapy, acupuncture techniques, and mindful meditation. We have a close-knit group of residents that often plan activities outside of work, to go to sporting events, out to dinner, and gatherings at each other’s homes.
Jefferson Health also offers the Emotional Health and Wellness Program for House Staff (EHWP), which includes a team of physicians, board-certified in psychiatry, who have expertise working with residents and physicians in need of support and counseling. The program offers wellness workshops and health programs throughout the year. All Thomas Jefferson University Hospital house staff are eligible for three free visits. During the initial meeting, the resident will develop a course of action with their physician, which may include continuing counseling services on-campus or receiving a referral to an off-campus provider. Occasionally, one session proves sufficient. In some situations, the resident decides to see an EHWP counselor on an ongoing basis.
Research shows a strong connection between mental and physical health, and we want to give our residents the tools and resources to build skills toward improved mental wellness. All residents will have access to NeuroFlow, a secure, HIPAA-compliant, mobile health application for tracking, assessing, and managing overall wellness. NeuroFlow provides easy-to-use tools and resources that guide and support resiliency and readiness. With NeuroFlow, one can learn relaxation techniques, enjoy video or audio guides, keep a journal, track mood, sleep, or pain, and build helpful skills thanks to personalized, curated content sent right to the cellphone that can be accessed 24/7.