In this episode, Dr. Stuart Slavin is joined by Melanie Pigott, the residency coordinator of the emergency medicine program at the Medical University of South Carolina, and Cindy Thompson, a senior program administrator for the orthopaedic surgery program at West Virginia University, for a focused conversation on program coordinator well‑being in graduate medical education. Program coordinators play a vital role in GME programs, yet their roles have become increasingly complex, demanding, and pressured—often with little margin for rest or recovery. Drawing on their years of experience and leadership on the ACGME's Coordinator Advisory Group, Pigott and Thompson reflect on the realities of the role and share practical, experience‑based strategies to reduce stress and sustain fulfillment.

The conversation explores key drivers of coordinator well‑being, including managing workload through clear expectations and communication, improving efficiency through automation and shared resources, navigating hybrid and flexible work arrangements, and coping with the constant pressure of year‑round deadlines and evolving responsibilities. Throughout the discussion, the speakers emphasize the importance of professional community, peer support, self‑compassion, and giving oneself grace in a role defined by high standards and service to others. This episode launches a new series dedicated to supporting program coordinators and offers valuable insights for coordinators, program leaders, and institutions seeking to create healthier, more sustainable working environments for those who support medical learners every day.

Podcast Chapters

(00:00) – Introduction and Welcome

(00:55) – Guest Introductions: Melanie Pigott and Cindy Thompson

(01:46) – Growing Workload and Burnout Risk in Program Coordination

(02:29) – Setting Expectations, Boundaries, and Communication Norms

(05:14) – Improving Efficiency Through Automation and Shared Tools

(09:03) – Community, Peer Support, and Asking for Help

(10:14) – Hybrid and Flexible Work Models in GME

(14:57) – Managing Ongoing Work Pressure and Emotional Labor

(17:05) – Organization, Delegation, and Letting Go of Perfectionism

(21:03) – Closing Thoughts and Resources

In this episode, Dr. Stuart Slavin speaks with Dr. Kristen Demertzis, clinical psychologist and director of GME Well‑Being at Northwell Health. They explore how thoughtful, system‑level approaches can strengthen the well‑being of residents, fellows, faculty members, and program leaders across a large academic health system. Dr. Demertzis shares her journey into resident well‑being work, the importance of early culture‑setting during orientation, and how fostering psychological safety and shared vulnerability helps residents and fellows feel supported. She discusses a range of initiatives—reflective discussions, stigma‑reduction efforts, wellness check‑ins, and enhanced access to mental health resources—that promote connection, normalize help‑seeking, and improve awareness of available support. The conversation also highlights how data‑informed decision‑making, cross‑department collaboration, and continuous evaluation are driving meaningful improvements in resident/fellow experience. Listeners will gain insight into how intentional culture‑building and system-wide engagement can create healthier, more resilient learning environments in medical education.

Podcast Chapters

00:00 – Introduction and Welcome

01:00 – Dr. Demertzis' Journey into Resident Mental Health Advocacy

03:06 – Dr. Demertzis' Leadership as Director of GME Well‑Being and Committee Integration

04:57 – Expanding GME Well‑Being: Multi‑Role Leadership in Culture and Orientation

07:51 – Establishing Culture and Psychological Safety

08:39 – Addressing Mental Health Stigma and Implementing Wellness Checks

12:27 – Launching Digital Well‑Being Tools: Website and App Enhancements

13:40 – Using Data to Drive System-Wide Well‑Being Improvements

16:28 – Closing Thoughts and Resources

In this episode, Dr. Stuart Slavin welcomes Dr. Kerri Palamara, Gill and Allan Gray Family Endowed Chair and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, to discuss the evolution and impact of physician coaching in graduate medical education. Dr. Palamara shares how her journey led to developing scalable, faculty-driven coaching programs that foster psychological safety, agency, and authentic connection among residents and faculty. The conversation explores the distinctions between mentoring and coaching, the core skills required for effective coaching, and the positive ripple effects on wellbeing, resilience, and departmental culture. Drawing on principles of positive psychology and self-determination theory, Dr. Palamara illustrates how structured coaching interventions can reduce burnout, enhance fulfillment, and empower clinicians to find their voice—even within challenging healthcare systems. Through practical insights and research-backed outcomes, this episode highlights how investing in coaching transforms not only individuals but the entire medical learning environment, making thriving possible for all.

Podcast Chapters

(00:00) – Intro and Welcome

(00:13) – Guest Background: Dr. Kerri Palamara

(00:54) – Discovering Coaching: Faculty Engagement & Residency Curriculum

(02:33) – Rethinking Support: Creating a Coaching Culture

(04:12) – Mentoring vs. Coaching: Key Differences

(05:20) – Building Psychological Safety and Boundaries

(06:13) – Core Coaching Skills: Listening, Reflecting, Asking Questions

(07:42) – Positive Psychology and Strength-Based Approaches

(09:40) – Training Faculty as Coaches: Logistics & Curriculum

(11:37) – Scalability and Feasibility of Coaching Programs

(12:25) – Impact on Coaches, Residents, and Department Culture

(14:27) – How Much Coaching is Enough?

(15:16) – Tolerating Uncertainty and Medical Errors

(15:50) – Addressing Systemic Challenges & Fatalism

(16:50) – Handling Coach-Resident Mismatches

(18:03) – Authentic Connection and Deep Listening

In this episode, Dr. Stuart Slavin speaks with Dr. Greg Guldner, director of GME Well-Being and assistant dean for Graduate Medical Education at Loma Linda University Health. They discuss how self-determination theory (SDT)—the most widely researched framework for understanding human motivation—can guide meaningful, system-level change in medical education and training. Dr. Guldner explains how autonomy, belonging, competence, and deep meaning (the "ABCDs" of well-being) form the foundation for a healthier workplace culture. Through practical examples and data-driven outcomes, he illustrates how leaders can redesign environments, policies, and interactions to enhance connection, motivation, and fulfillment for both residents and faculty members, creating conditions where everyone can truly thrive in their work.

Podcast Chapters

(00:00) – Intro and Welcome (00:14) – Guest Background: Dr. Greg Guldner (00:56) – Workplace Well-Being vs. Wellness (01:57) – Why Focus on the Work Environment (02:25) – The Role of Self-Determination Theory (SDT) in Well-Being Interventions (03:36) – Self-Determination Theory: Origins and Impact (05:05) – The Basic Psychological Needs (06:18) – Finding Meaning in the Workplace (07:18) – Autonomy: What It Really Means (10:23) – The Five Steps to Understanding Autonomy (11:38) – Belonging Interventions (15:02) – Competence: Growth and Mastery (18:00) – Feedback and Intervention (18:31) – Meaningful Work: High-Impact Interventions (21:04) – What about Faculty? (21:41) – Measuring Success: Data and Dashboards (25:42) – Closing Thoughts and Resources

In this episode, Dr. Stuart Slavin speaks with Dr. Kimara Ellefson, national director of Strategy and Partnerships for the Kern National Network for Flourishing in Health (KNN). Together they explore how the concept of flourishing—defined as "a wholeness of being and doing"—can transform the culture of medicine beyond burnout prevention toward purpose, belonging, and growth. Dr. Ellefson discusses KNN's framework of caring, character, and practical wisdom, and shares how institutions can cultivate environments that nurture both individual and collective well-being. The conversation highlights measurement strategies; resident-led initiatives; and the power of small, everyday actions to create meaningful, lasting change in health care.

Podcast Chapters

(00:00) – Intro & Welcome (00:14) – Guest Background: Dr. Kimara Ellefson (00:55) – What Is Flourishing and Why It Matters (02:48) – Moving Beyond Burnout: What can we do? (04:16) – Residents: Connection & Belonging (05:02) – About the Kern National Network (KNN) (05:54) – KNN's Framework for Flourishing (07:45) – Kimara's Professional Journey & Personal Insights (09:27) – Engaging with KNN (10:00) – Measuring Flourishing: Tools and Challenges (12:28) – Avoiding Reductionism in Measurement (14:12) – Innovative Projects in GME: Flourishing in Action (17:38) – Aspirations for Flourishing in Healthcare (20:31) – Message for the Listeners: Everyday Change (21:38) – Closing Thoughts & Resources

In this episode, Dr. Stuart Slavin speaks with Dr. Adam Neufeld, family physician and clinical assistant professor at the University of Calgary. Drawing on his research in Self-Determination Theory (SDT), Dr. Neufeld explains how autonomy, competence, and relatedness—the three universal psychological needs—shape motivation, engagement, and well-being in medical education and practice. Together they explore how supporting these needs can foster authentic motivation, enhance learning environments, and counteract burnout. Dr. Neufeld also clarifies common misconceptions about autonomy, shares practical strategies for educators and leaders, and discusses how small changes in communication and structure can transform both teaching and workplace culture.

Podcast Chapters

(00:00) – Intro & Guest Background

(01:08) – Introducing Self-Determination Theory (SDT)

(01:50) – Core Psychological Needs: Autonomy, Competence, and Relatedness

(03:25) – SDT and Its Connection to Well-Being and Flourishing

(04:46) – Applying SDT to Healthcare and Medical Training

(03:25) – SDT, Motivation Quality, and Flourishing

(04:46) – Applying SDT in Healthcare and Medical Training

(05:36) – Balancing Humanistic Values and Performance Outcomes

(06:57) – Redefining Autonomy: Independence, Volition, and Confidence

(09:49) – Supporting Autonomy in Learning and Program Culture

(13:00) – How Institutional Culture Impacts Motivation and Engagement

(16:03) – The Motivation Continuum: From External Pressure to Intrinsic Drive

(19:58) – Shifts Toward Extrinsic Motivation in Learners and Faculty

(23:50) – Closing Remarks & Resources

In this episode, Dr. Stuart Slavin speaks with Dr. Elliott Higgins, director of Health and Well-Being for UCLA's Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine. Together they explore the development of the Well-Being Influencers Survey for Health Care (WISH)—a validated, non-proprietary tool that measures the organizational conditions shaping clinician well-being. Dr. Higgins discusses how WISH shifts the focus from individual burnout to systemic factors such as transparency, fairness, and psychological safety, offering leaders actionable insights to drive meaningful change. The conversation highlights how data-driven, collaborative research can reframe accountability, empower departments to tailor interventions, and move the national dialogue from burnout awareness toward system-level solutions that enhance both workforce and patient care.

Podcast Chapters

(00:00) – Intro & Guest Background (01:06) – Elliott's Path to Medicine & Well-Being (02:28) – Introducing the WISH Survey (05:35) – Local Influencers & One Size Doesn't Fit All (06:31) – Multicenter and Multispecialty WISH Studies (11:07) – Early Findings: Organizational Justice & Transparency (12:28) – Psychological Safety in Anesthesiology (13:38) – Future Directions: Validation & Qualitative Work (16:03) – Using WISH Iteratively to Drive Change (17:55) – Accessing WISH (19:11) – Multicenter Collaboration & Team Effort (19:28) – Framing Thought: Shifting Accountability to Systems (21:22) – Closing Remarks & Resources

In this episode, Dr. Stuart Slavin speaks with Dr. Saadia Akhtar, professor of emergency medicine and senior associate dean for Trainee Well-Being and GME at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. They explore the evolution of Mount Sinai's GME Well-Being Champion Program—an initiative that empowers faculty champions across specialties and sites to identify local challenges and drive meaningful improvements in workplace culture and efficiency. Dr. Akhtar shares how the program fosters collaboration, builds community, and supports learners and champions through structured debriefs, system-level feedback, and professional development. This model offers a scalable, data-informed approach to improving well-being in medical education.

Podcast Chapters

• (00:00) – Intro & Guest Background

• (01:01) – Origins of the Well-Being Champion Program

• (03:54) – Wellbeing Is Local: One Size Doesn't Fit All

• (04:37) – Champion Roles & Reporting Structure

• (06:13) – Monthly Debriefs & Report Outs

• (08:01) – Champion Independence from Program Leadership

• (09:05) – Trainee Support & Resource Sharing

• (10:34) – Collaboration with Program Directors & Champions' Role

• (13:42) – Professional Development & Lecture Series

• (15:40) – Stipends, Recognition & Career Growth

• (17:23) – Champion-Led Initiatives & Impact

• (21:00) – Reaching Institutions with Limited Resources

• (23:20) – The Iterative Continuous Quality Improvement Approach

• (25:14) – Final Reflections

• (26:16) – Closing & Resources

In this episode, Dr. Stuart Slavin speaks with Dr. Sydney Ey, clinical psychologist and founder of the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Consult Service for Leaders and Teams. Together, they explore the emotional toll leadership can take within graduate medical education (GME), especially during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Ey discusses how the consult service offers psychological first aid, peer support, and guidance to leaders facing stress, isolation, and moral distress. She highlights the importance of proactive outreach, institutional backing, and the ripple effect of supporting those in leadership roles. The conversation underscores how compassion, trust, and visibility can create a healthier culture in academic medicine.

• (00:00) – Intro & Guest Background
• (01:30) – Origins of the OHSU Consult Service
• (03:53) – Leadership Isolation & Support Needs
• (05:52) – Supportive Listening Sessions
• (08:55) – Who Can Access the Consult Service?
• (11:43) – Consult Service Structure
• (13:19) – Coaching vs. Psychological First Aid
• (15:24) – Role of Mental Health Professionals & Trust
• (17:16) – Outreach, Engagement, and Utilization
• (22:31) – Barriers & Challenges
• (25:31) – Final Thoughts
• (27:10) – Closing & Resources

In this episode, Dr. Stuart Slavin interviews Dr. Srijan Sen, professor of depression and neurosciences in the Department of Psychiatry and director of the Francis and Kenneth Eisenberg and Family Depression Center at the University of Michigan. They discuss Dr. Sen's extensive research on depression in medical residents, exploring the relationship between depression and suicide. The conversation delves into the multifactorial nature of suicide, the impact of workplace conditions on mental health, and the importance of both treatment and prevention of depression. Dr. Sen shares insights on effective preventive measures and strategies to create supportive environments in medical education.