Wellbeing: (Success in Academic Surgery)

This book provides a detailed guide for surgeons and surgical trainees on a variety of facets relevant to wellbeing, and how to maintain wellbeing throughout a career in academic surgery. Individual and external factors relevant to wellbeing are both covered in relation to the surgeon. Aspects covered include healthcare roles, personal factors, socio-cultural factors, the regulatory business, and payer environment. Potential strategies for managing welfare including considerations for both students and residents are provided, as are methodologies for studying aspects of wellbeing.     Wellbeing offers a practical and personal insight on maintaining wellbeing in academic surgery and is a valuable resource for all practicing and trainee surgeons across a variety of disciplines, as well as those who are interested in studying factors affecting the wellbeing of surgical specialists.

Table of Contents:
Introduction.- What is wellbeing.- Why focus on wellbeing.- Important terms (burnout, wellbeing, resilience).- Conceptual framework for wellbeing.- Healthcare Role.- Personal Factors.- Meaning/Purpose in Work.- Skills and Abilities.- External Factors of Wellbeing.- Socio-cultural Factors.- Regulatory, Business, Payer Environment.- Organizational Factors.- Learning/Practice Environment.- Improving Wellbeing.- Addressing Individual Factors.- Addressing External Factors.- Recovering from Burnout.- Wellbeing Considerations for Medical Students up.- Wellbeing Considerations for Residents.- The Study of Wellbeing.- Approaches to study wellbeing.- Tools of the Trade.- Evaluating organizational structures and institutional policy for wellbeing.- Emerging areas of research.- Career development in wellbeing.

About the Author :
Eugene Kim, MD, is Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics, Clinical Scholar, in the Divisions of Pediatric Surgery and Hematology, Oncology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Departments of Surgery  and Pediatrics at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles, California. He received his undergraduate degree in Biochemical Sciences from Harvard University and his medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. He completed his residency in general surgery at Columbia University Medical Center, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, in New York City and subsequently completed a fellowship in pediatric surgery at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio.  Dr. Kim’s clinical and basic expertise is in pediatric surgical oncology.  He has a passion for the education, development, and wellbeing of residents and faculty.   Brenessa Lindeman, MD, MEHP, is an Assistant Professor of Surgery and Associate Designated Institutional Official for the Clinical Learning Environment at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She completed her undergraduate training summa cum laude at the University of Louisville and graduated Alpha Omega Alpha as the Founder’s Medalist at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in 2009.  She completed residency training in General Surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where she served as an Administrative Chief Resident, and completed a fellowship in Endocrine Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School.  Brenessa earned a Masters of Education in the Health Professions from Johns Hopkins University and completed Surgical Education Research Fellowships with the Association for Surgical Education and Massachusetts General Hospital. In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Lindeman’s research interests are in development and assessment of competency in surgical trainees, resident supervision and autonomy, and evaluation of the learning climate/physician wellbeing as an academic surgeon.

Review :
"This book appears to be written primarily for researchers in the field. ... it is prescient in identifying stressors in the system and ways to manage, including coping mechanisms. This book will be needed even more in the coming years as we emerge from the current pandemic." (Carol Scott-Conner, Doody's Book Reviews, May 8, 2020)