Loneliness and grief. Concern for family members’ health and well-being. More intense burnout and more stressful relationships at home. These are just some of the challenges physicians are experiencing during the COVID-19 pandemic, a recent MedScape survey found. ISMA is committed to helping physicians thrive personally and professionally; so, to support our members in this difficult time, we’re offering access to a webinar series from the Ohio State Medical Association (OSMA) with practical, evidence-based information on physician well-being presented by leading experts in the field.

“ISMA is pleased to provide this four-part physician well-being series, originally offered by the Ohio State Medical Association,” said ISMA Director of Education Janette Helm. “The programs were developed by physicians for physicians to offer practical ways to manage the unique stresses they encounter in their work – some more intensified as a result of the pandemic. The presenters have a great deal of expertise in helping physicians to recognize early signs of burnout and take action to manage them effectively.”

Read further for details on how to access the following sessions.

Physician Well-Being Series
1. Uncertainty and Compassion in Medicine: Mindful Practice in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Presenter: Michael Krasner, MD, FACP; professor of clinical medicine at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. Dr. Krasner has been teaching mindfulness-based stress reduction to patients, medical students and health care professionals for over eight years, involving nearly 800 participants. 

This program explores differences between empathy and compassion, and the role of each in working through challenging circumstances. The presenter offers insights into skillful approaches to uncertainty in medicine, including the tool of “insight dialogue” to improve meaning in conversation with patients and colleagues. 

2. Turning Toward Dissonance: Being Present and Robust in Times of Fear
Presenter: Ronald M. Epstein, MD; professor of family medicine, psychiatry, oncology and medicine at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry; board-certified in family medicine and hospice and palliative medicine; author of “Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness and Humanity.” Dr. Epstein has over 250 publications. 

This program focuses on mindfulness tools to enhance relationship-centered care and the role of mindfulness in reducing the effects of implicit bias in medicine. Specific practices, including “deep listening,” are presented. Dr. Epstein identifies ways for physicians to reduce work-related stress and burnout, citing proven research practices that enhance physician well-being. 

3. Physician Mental Health: Preventing Suicide and Building Resilience
Presenter: Christine Moutier, MD; chief medical officer for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). 

This program identifies the continuum of resilience to distress, describing characteristics that increase risk of distress and suicide. Dr. Moutier presents personal protective factors that support resilience behaviors and discusses the role of stigma in creating barriers to self-care. She presents actionable organizational strategies to promote resources for physician well-being. 

4. Medical Family Relationships: Keys for Coping in Unprecedented Times
Presenter: Wayne Sotile, PhD; clinician and coach specializing in life coaching for physicians. Wayne Sotile is a pioneer in the fields of health psychology, resilience and work/life balance for high-performing people. He has delivered over 9,000 invited addresses and workshops, including for the AMA Leadership Conference and the AMA  Alliance. His solution-focused life coaching process emphasizes practical applications of evidence-based findings from the combined fields of resilience, positive psychology, marriage/family systems and adult developmental psychology. 

In this presentation, Dr. Sotile engages in a facilitated discussion with two physician associates in presenting his observations about resilience and relationships in physician families. He offers examples of practices that increase resilience and reduce burnout, while focusing on the role of healthy relationships. His recommendations are based on his observation that the number one predictor of career satisfaction for physicians is the quality of relationships at home and at work. 

To access these free programs, go here and click on the hyperlinked phrase “free recorded sessions.” You will be directed to a sign-in page; OSMA requires the requested information to track demographic data for grant-reporting purposes. Your information will not be shared with any other organization, and you will not be registered for any other OSMA program. 

Once you have signed in, you will receive an email message from OSMA containing the link to access the webinars. Please note these programs do not offer continuing medical education (CME) credit. 

Read more about the MedScape survey here.