Life as a resident physician is not for the faint of heart. They must balance patient care, ongoing medical education and training requirements. Resident well-being is part of an ongoing national discussion as medical programs seek to reduce stress and prevent burnout among trainees. Dr. Julio Mendoza Estrada is a second-year internal medicine resident. We followed him on a typical clinic day to learn how he handles the stresses of resident life. “On average I work anywhere from 60 to 70 hours a week. Study hours every day are variable, depending on how busy that day was. But I'll often study

Dr. Kari Wolf oversees state’s new behavioral health training center Kari Wolf, MD , has never been afraid of making waves. The chair of SIU Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry was born in Evanston, Illinois, and raised in Iowa where she experienced her first opportunity to challenge the status quo and make a meaningful impact. At 12-years-old, Wolf fearlessly stood up for what she believed in when she chose, along with another student from rural Iowa, to file a federal lawsuit against the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union, asserting that the state's 6-on-6 basketball rules violated the U

Dr. Kari Wolf oversees state’s new behavioral health training center Kari Wolf, MD , has never been afraid of making waves. The chair of SIU Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry was born in Evanston, Illinois, and raised in Iowa where she experienced her first opportunity to challenge the status quo and make a meaningful impact. At 12-years-old, Wolf fearlessly stood up for what she believed in when she chose, along with another student from rural Iowa, to file a federal lawsuit against the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union, asserting that the state's 6-on-6 basketball rules violated the U

Dr. Kari Wolf oversees state’s new behavioral health training center Kari Wolf, MD , has never been afraid of making waves. The chair of SIU Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry was born in Evanston, Illinois, and raised in Iowa where she experienced her first opportunity to challenge the status quo and make a meaningful impact. At 12-years-old, Wolf fearlessly stood up for what she believed in when she chose, along with another student from rural Iowa, to file a federal lawsuit against the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union, asserting that the state's 6-on-6 basketball rules violated the U

SIU leads efforts to cultivate connections, nurture opportunities for behavioral health access In 2017, Dr. Kari Wolf launched her campaign to begin growing Illinois’ behavioral health workforce. She met with state legislators to discuss a bill that would convene a task force to evaluate the impact of the depleted workforce. Because of her groundwork and those of other partners, House Resolution 711 was passed in 2018 and declared that “Illinois is suffering from a behavioral health care workforce emergency.” Soon after, a team of mental and behavioral health professionals across Illinois

Empowering individuals to be a part of the solution Recently the Behavioral Health Workforce Center (BHWC) began offering Mental Health First Aid training to employees as part of its mission to bring attention to and end the stigma of mental health and substance use challenges. This training teaches people how to identify, understand and respond when someone is experiencing these types of challenges and is facilitated by three Mental Health First Aid Certified Instructors from the BHWC: Dr. Taylor Blakeley, Training and Training Assistant Program Coordinator; Kyle Fontaine, Education and

Patient Safety Awareness Week is celebrated each March to shine a spotlight on the importance of patient safety in health care. The use of telehealth has become increasingly popular, offering convenience and accessibility to patients. At SIU Medicine, we want to provide the safest spaces for our patients, whether we see them in the clinic or on the other side of a screen. While telehealth offers many benefits, it also raises concerns about technology safety and privacy. Here are some tips to ensure your telehealth experience is safe and secure: Protect your privacy . Find a private and secure

No one ever said medical school was easy. The prevalence of mental health struggles in medical school is well-known, and studies show that medical students experience disproportionately higher rates of depression and burnout. Stress can accumulate and undermine confidence in abilities and, if left unchecked, grow into something detrimental. Results from an Elsevier Health survey released in November 2023 showed a quarter of medical students considered quitting school, and 60 percent were worried about their mental health. Students face growing challenges each year as they advance through the

No one ever said medical school was easy. The prevalence of mental health struggles in medical school is well-known, and studies show that medical students experience disproportionately higher rates of depression and burnout. Stress can accumulate and undermine confidence in abilities and, if left unchecked, grow into something detrimental. Results from an Elsevier Health survey released in November 2023 showed a quarter of medical students considered quitting school, and 60 percent were worried about their mental health. Students face growing challenges each year as they advance through the

No one ever said medical school was easy. The prevalence of mental health struggles in medical school is well-known, and studies show that medical students experience disproportionately higher rates of depression and burnout. Stress can accumulate and undermine confidence in abilities and, if left unchecked, grow into something detrimental. Results from an Elsevier Health survey released in November 2023 showed a quarter of medical students considered quitting school, and 60 percent were worried about their mental health. Students face growing challenges each year as they advance through the