House Staff Support System

Introduction

The Department of Medicine at Rhode Island Hospital formed a house staff support system more than fifteen years ago to promote the general well-being of the house staff as well as to identify and help house officers who are having difficulty coping with the stresses of residency. Housestaff support meetings are held regularly where the residents are invited to discuss their concerns in a confidential, supportive environment. Colin Harrington, MD, a member of the Department of Psychiatry was chosen by housestaff to act as a facilitator for these valuable sessions.

Goals

The goals of housestaff support meeting are to provide a forum for residents at all levels to meet in a confidential environment to discuss issues that may be of concern to an individual resident who might benefit from peer reflection and support. Residents may use this session to ask for suggestions on how to handle a difficult interpersonal relationship, guidance on stress surrounding searching for a job, and the uncertainty commonly felt at the time of attaining a new role or level during residency. The housestaff support meeting fills a need not fully met by the other opportunities for housesofficer input (such as the retreat, advisor and program director meetings, and monthly housestaff meetings). We also hope that the sessions will serve as a means for resident colleagues to help each other.

Format