Development of a Wellness Curriculum at a New Regional Campus: A Pilot Study

Background: Burnout is a critical issue that is increasingly prevalent among healthcare professionals. Several studies suggest that the decline in mental health and wellness begins in medical school. As such, medical schools across the United States have started to develop proactive approaches to medical student wellness, often in the form of an organized curriculum focused on resilience, mindfulness, and stress-reduction. There is little research describing the implementation and refinement of a wellness curriculum at a small regional campus of an academic medical center. A regional campus represents a unique opportunity to develop a comprehensive wellness program, because of the flexibility of the curriculum and the small number of students. The Penn State College of Medicine University Park Campus sought to develop a wellness program specific to first year medical students (MS1s) and to create a companion program of inter-professional wellness exercises open to all teaching faculty and learners at our regional campus. Methods: The study was reviewed by the Penn State College of Medicine Institutional Review Board (STUDY00011390) and was granted “Exempt” status. Three components of the wellness curriculum were developed: a mandatory, semester-long curriculum for MS1s focused on professional development, a 10-session Tai Chi class accessible to faculty, staff and students, and a series of watercolor painting workshops accessible to faculty and students. Participants completed pre- and post-surveys to assess these interventions. Results: The participation rate for the optional Tai Chi and watercolor workshops was relatively low, with 20% of students attending. Most participants felt that medical schools should be responsible for offering wellness programs for students. The majority of students wanted optional wellness activities to be available, rather than mandatory sessions. Discussion: The information gathered from this pilot study will be used to develop a formal curriculum that is accessible, helpful, and convenient for all members of the regional campus community. In the future, it will be helpful to conduct a needs assessment to ascertain what kind of wellness offerings will be most successful among students, faculty, and staff of a regional medical campus. Conflicts of Interest: None.