Wellness in Anesthesiology

There is very little emphasis on physician wellness in residency, but it is becoming increasingly clear that physician health and well-being are paramount for effective medical practice. Specifically in anesthesiology, a study of residents demonstrated that 22% of anesthesia residents experience symptoms of depression, the rate of suicidal ideation was more than twice the age adjusted rate observed in other developed countries and 41% had high rates of burnout. In order to improve wellness, several initiatives have been proposed and implemented in our department.