Provide Your #PMRWellness Perspective!

October 20, 2021

In recent years, the specialty of PM&R has been inching toward the top of national physician burnout reports. To better understand the basis of this trend, the American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (AAPM&R), the American Board of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (ABPMR) and the Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP) joined forces and began a collaboration to address ways to potentially mitigate burnout and enhance wellness for physiatrists. While other organizations have undertaken burnout studies, very few have conducted a longitudinal study like the one that is being undertaken with this joint initiative. Physiatry is in unique company in this regard!

This extensive, collaborative effort includes a partnership with the Stanford Medicine WellMD Center, who will be conducting a multiple modality assessment over the span of 18 months. The partnership brings with it the leadership of Dr. Tait Shanafelt who is the Center’s Director and Chief Wellness Officer. Dr. Shanafelt is a leader in the study of physician well-being and the author of numerous articles on the topic.

As a first step, Stanford is launching a national survey, inviting practicing U.S. physiatrists to provide their perspective on some of the unique virtues and challenges of working in PM&R. Please watch for an email communication from Stanford. The survey link in the email is unique to the individual recipient and should not be shared. Each communication from Stanford will contain the hashtag phrase: #PMRWellness to help you search your inbox. The tri-organizational workgroup strongly encourages you to provide your feedback. Your responses will help the specialty identify actionable and impactful interventions to improve your well-being.

Thank you in advance!

You can read more about this initiative in the October/November issue of The Physiatrist and on aapmr.org.