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Student Wellness

First year student Blake Boleware shows off his facial hair at the SOM Mr. Moustache competition.

In the Office of Student Affairs, the wellness of our students is of the utmost importance, right alongside success.  Medical school is certainly a rigorous and demanding environment, and we want to support our students in seeking and valuing their own physical, emotional, mental, and financial wellness.  With a new and evolving Wellness Initiative, we are aiming to make student wellness an integral part of our students’ educational experience.  Our hope is to equip students with the ability to not only take care of their future patients, but to take care of our future physicians as well. 

Testimonies from Faculty and Students

"One thing I never thought about as a student was how the habits I created in medical school would become habits I would carry into residency and practice. Taking care of yourself with sleep, exercise, and prioritizing the people you love only becomes more challenging as more external factors demand your time, attention, and energy. Start early making yourself and your loved ones the top of your list. School and work should always be second."

- Dr. Lyssa Weatherly, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, School of Medicine

"Medical professionals are at an increased risk of developing maladaptive coping strategies and burnout. The stress of the medical field begins early in training as students, with a rigorous course load, high-stakes expectations, numerous examinations, and the preparation for residency application. The state of mental health of healthcare providers has a direct effect on our ability to adequately care for our patients, indicating that promoting personal wellness will lead to improvements in patient care.
The Wellness Initiative Program (WIP) is a student-run program we developed to provide students with necessary tools for personal well-being while simultaneously enabling them to apply these learned skills in educational and workplace settings. Together we can learn to take care of ourselves to better care for our future patients."

- Reagan Moak, Class of 2024

Student Wellness Resources

If you are a student in need of counseling services, we encourage you to reach out to the Student Counseling Center on campus.  And as always, you are more than welcome to stop by the Student Affairs office if we can help you with anything!