Resident Wellness

Resident wellness and happiness are very important to us here at SUNY Downstate. As such, we have a chief resident position dedicated solely to organizing wellness events with support from the Department and serving as a resource for residents that need help with the stresses of residency. The department hosts an annual welcome party for new residents and a holiday party in January. Graduation is held every year at the Dyker Heights Beach Club. The department has also sponsored annual Thanksgiving parties and ski trips to upstate New York. Recent wellness events have included, box seats at the Brooklyn Cyclones, tickets to the Brooklyn Nets, yoga in prospect park, a post-In-Training Exam party, apple picking, grand rounds lectures on mental health and wellness, and happy hours.

The Office of Graduate Medical Education has multiple resources for resident wellness on their website. Residents can submit prose works to the GME office for publication as a creative outlet. The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available to assist residents with preventing, intervening and resolving problems that may impact on their job performance. SUNY Downstate’s mental health professionals are available for counseling as well, for residents that are having difficulty handling the stresses of residency.

The department also takes resident concerns seriously and is receptive to feedback from residents, both in the form of surveys and regular meetings with the program director. Any concerns that residents do not feel comfortable voicing can be sent directly and anonymously to the Chairman and Program Director through our anonymous email account.