The Fortify Resilience Initiative

Presenter Information (List ALL Authors)

Nausheen Jamal, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
Deepu George, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
Maria Hernandez, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
Evan Garcia, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
Myrna Ruiz, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
Salvador Arellano III, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow

Presenting Author

Salvador Arellano III

Presentation Type

Poster

Discipline Track

Patient Care

Abstract Type

Program Abstract

Abstract

Purpose: The Fortify Resilience Initiative focuses on building and sustaining a culture of wellbeing for Residents and Fellows (R/Fs) at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) School of Medicine’s (SOM) Graduate Medical Education (GME) residency and fellowship programs. In order to address the multitude of threats to physician wellness and to mitigate the silent, but pernicious effects of burnout on these physician learners serving in the RGV, this Initiative from the Office of GME will strengthen existing wellbeing pathways while expanding additional solutions that will work to sustain wellbeing. Utilizing a combination of prevention, promotion, and intervention strategies targeted at the individual, program, and system levels, this initiative increases resilience by addressing existing gaps that only further propagate the spread of risk and vulnerability to the community.

Description: The Fortify Resilience Initiative maintains three key drivers (Access Strategy, Empowerment Initiatives, and System Redesign) that all work to address and enhance components central to wellbeing management. Within the Access Strategy is continuous access to direct online clinical and coaching services, annual opt-out wellness check-ins, monthly live online learning sessions with embedded didactics as well as skill development practical labs. Launch of a Wellbeing Mobile Application (WMA), allowing users to periodically self-assess and receive suggestions to improve self-management as well as the establishment of Program Specific Wellness Committees (PSWC), constitute the Empowerment Initiatives. Consultations with each partnered program’s leadership, along with the introduction of a faculty development pathway to train faculty to full competency over current wellbeing methodologies, aim at establishing a presence of institutional expertise and represent the System Redesign driver.

Partners: The Fortify Resilience Initiative at UTRGV is illuminated through a vital partnership with Tend Health (TH). TH is an innovative company specialized in the care and well-being of health professionals, with a history of successful partnerships with GME programs offering mental health and well-being focused services. TH is an essential partner in two of the key drivers – Access Strategy and System Redesign.

Looking Ahead: By year 2024, the Fortify Resilience Initiative seeks to impact 249+ UTRGV R/Fs, along with training 20 faculty members as demonstrated by:

• Graduating all R/Fs with self-management of well-being competencies
• Establishing access strategy services as routine part of UTRGV GME programs
• Integrating technology solutions – WMA – as a core strategy for resilience for GME programs
• Enrolling 100% of new R/Fs as users on the WMA via GME on-boarding each program year
• Sustaining PSWC’s across 19+ GME programs with routine use of the WMA
• Establishing a scalable culture of wellbeing strategy for the UTRGV SOM
• Building resilience supporting policies within programs and institution
• Developing a UTRGV Faculty Affairs sustained Master Trainer Faculty Development (MTFD) track to continue delivery of resilience trainings by MTFD scholars

Recommended Citation

Jamal, Nausheen; George, Deepu; Hernandez, Maria; Garcia, Evan; Ruiz, Myrna; and Arellano, Salvador III, "The Fortify Resilience Initiative" (2023). Research Symposium. 96.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/somrs/2022/posters/96