Student Wellness

The Office for Undergraduate Medical Education’s (UME) Student Affairs team is committed to medical student well-being during training and beyond. UME Wellness offers programming that fosters a positive learning environment inside and outside the academic setting. Our goal is to encourage self-care, resilience, and multi-faceted health by providing tools to address all dimensions of wellness.

Review this list of 2021-2022 Wellness Resources and find one that’s right for you.

Elements. The Elements curriculum is a print and e-guide to the fundamentals of well-being, designed with the medical student in mind. While each students’ wellness journey is specific to them, this guide offers a variety of ways that students can explore what might work best for them.

Family Elements. Research shows that family support systems improve student satisfaction within the learning environment as well as prevent/decrease the likelihood of burnout. Parents, spouses, partners, significant others, and even kids can access a variety of resources to best support the medical student in their lives. In addition, families of incoming medical students are invited to participate in “Family Chat,” a session during orientation, where families can learn about the medical school journey and how they can help. For Family Elements resources, visit the student wellness web page.

The Long School of Medicine (LSOM) Food Network. Through a partnership with the San Antonio Food Bank, this educational and interactive cooking program is meant to promote a healthy mind and lifestyle. Students are introduced to nutrition education, kitchen safety, budget- and time-friendly meals. In addition, students enhance their social wellness by participating in this cooking program with other medical students and other groups. Participants enjoy the meals they create together with their peers at the end of the event. 
See the Bexar County Medical Society Magazine's (May 2021) feature about the LSOM Food Network on pg. 29.

Headspace by UT Health. Complimentary annual Headspace memberships are available at several points throughout the year. Headspace is a mobile application that guides users through the essentials of meditation and mindfulness by offering a library of guided meditations, animations, articles, and videos. Research conducted by Headspace found that mindfulness increases compassion, resilience, focus, and promotes healthy decision-making and sleep. Additionally, mindfulness shows a decrease in stress and burnout, anxiety, depression, irritability, and aggression.

Wellness Consultations. To customize guidance on a variety of medical school stressors, UME Student Affairs offers one-on-one wellness consultations with the Director of Wellness and Professional Formation to help you develop and maintain an individual wellness plan. These consultations are designed using a coaching model and are not meant to serve as a replacement for Student Counseling Services.

USMLE Step 1 Consultations. Using a holistic approach to USMLE Step 1 preparation, Student Affairs offers a series of workshops that help students build an effective study strategy while promoting well-being. To compliment the step 1 preparation series, the Director of Academic Enhancement and Career Development and the Director of Wellness and Professional Formation offer joint two-on-one consultations to coach students at an individual level for Step 1 success.

Wellness Education. Wellness education is offered throughout the year in a variety of ways such as the formal and Veritas curriculums, workshops, and special events. Some examples of wellness education can include getting quality sleep, adopting a growth mindset, and battling imposter phenomenon while in medical school.

Financial Literacy. Research shows that finances can be a significant source of stress for medical students. The AAMC, the Office of Veteran Services and Financial Aid, and the UME office provide tools to help you in your budgeting and loan repayment plans.

• Student Affairs offers complimentary copies of The White Coat Investor’s Guide for Students: How Medical and Dental Students can Secure their Financial Future by James M. Dahle, MD and AAMC's Education Debt Manager by request. Email medstudentaffairs@uthscsa.edu to request your copy.
• AAMC's Financial Information, Resources, Services, and Tools (FIRST) program. Whether you’re thinking about how to pay for medical school, manage your finances during medical school, or determine your loan repayment options after medical school, AAMC FIRST provides guidance through useful articles, fact sheets, videos, and webinars. All enrolled medical students receive free and full access to the AAMC website containing this information.
• AAMC Financial Wellness Program. The recently launched financial wellness program, contains courses and a topic library with information on a variety of financial situations such as buying a home, managing credit, and retirement planning. A great feature in the program is that you can build a personal financial portfolio.
• MedLoans Organizer and Calculator (MLOC). This organizer gives you the ability to upload your federal loans directly from the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS), run repayment scenarios, and save your loan repayment options.

Emotional Wellness. Understanding your emotional landscape. 

Mental Health Resources. UME Student Affairs team is committed to shedding light on mental health research, issues, and coping strategies. Visit our Mental Health Resources page for a variety of ways to nurture your mental health, pledge to be stigma-free, and learn about mental health reporting. View mental health resources