The winter season can be a challenging time for many people. Shorter days, colder weather, a bad flu season (this year), and the demands of clinical education and training often amplify stress and fatigue for residents, fellows, and faculty members. The ACGME has curated well-being resources for programs, institutions, and health workers. These resources aim to reduce stigma and encourage proactive strategies for improved mental health. Following is a brief summary of some new resources and opportunities, as well as links to tools and information available from the ACGME to support well-being in graduate medical education (GME).
New Podcast Episodes
ACGME Vice President, Well-Being Dr. Stuart Slavin has launched new episodes of the ACGME Well-Being Podcast series, which brings together experts to explore pressing issues in GME. These conversations cover a range of topics, from the emotional toll of leadership, to system-level strategies to improve workplace culture, to faculty engagement models, and more.
The latest episodes offer timely insights from those working proactively to improve well-being across the GME community.
- Flourishing in Medicine: Dr. Kimara Ellefson on Meaning, Connection, and Culture Change
Dr. Ellefson explores how the concept of flourishing, defined as “a wholeness of being and doing,” can transform medical culture beyond burnout prevention toward purpose, belonging, and growth. She shares strategies for cultivating environments that nurture both individual and collective well-being. - Creating Thriving Workplaces: Dr. Greg Guldner on Applying Self-Determination Theory to Graduate Medical Education
Dr. Guldner discusses how autonomy, belonging, competence, and deep meaning (the “ABCDs” of well-being) can guide system-level change in medical education. Through practical examples and data-driven outcomes, he illustrates how leaders can redesign environments to enhance motivation and fulfillment for residents and faculty members. - Motivation, Meaning, and Medicine: Dr. Adam Neufeld on Applying Self-Determination Theory to Well-Being
Dr. Adam Neufeld discusses how Self-Determination Theory can improve motivation and well-being in medical education. He explains the three core psychological needs—autonomy, competence, and relatedness—and how supporting them fosters authentic motivation, enhances learning environments, and reduces burnout. This episode also addresses misconceptions about autonomy and offers practical strategies for educators and leaders, showing how small changes in communication and structure can transform both teaching and workplace culture.
These episodes, along with others in the series, provide insights for educators, leaders, and learners committed to improving their own well-being and that of others. Access the full podcast series on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Learn at ACGME.
ACGME-Curated Resources
The Well-Being page in the ACGME’s digital learning platform, Learn at ACGME, provides access to useful links, workshops, videos, and references organized for:
- Systems Approaches to Well-Being
- Individual Mental Health and Well-Being
- Screenings and Instruments
- Recorded Lectures
- General Resources
Resources can support but cannot replace local commitment to fostering well-being. Creating environments in which residents and fellows can truly thrive requires shared responsibility. Institutional leaders, faculty members, and staff members all play an essential role in sustaining a culture of well-being. By providing these resources for the GME community, the ACGME aims to support the development and sustainability of that culture of well-being across clinical learning environments.
NEW OPPORTUNITY! Back to Bedside Funding for Residents/Fellows Now Available
In addition to these tools and resources, the ACGME is proud to offer a unique funding opportunity aimed at cultivating joy and meaning in the work of residents and fellows through its Back to Bedside initiative, designed to strengthen the physician-patient relationship and create a learning collaborative of resident-/fellow-led research teams.
A call for proposals for the fifth round of Back to Bedside funding, which will provide up to $10,000 for accepted projects, is currently open.. Proposals are due by April 20, 2026. Learn more and apply through the ACGME website. Email questions to backtobedside@acgme.org.
Supporting Well-Being Year-Round
Strengthening a culture of well-being in GME means creating learning environments where residents, fellows, faculty members, staff members, and others feel supported, valued, and equipped to thrive. Meaningful progress requires consistent attention. We encourage programs to share these resources and integrate them into conversations about well-being, not just during commonly challenging times during the year, but always. By prioritizing well-being and fostering connection across clinical learning environments, we can not only support individuals through the challenges of GME, but also cultivate a healthier, more resilient future for the entire medical community.