Balanced Life Program: Supporting Resident Wellbeing

Residency is a time of intense personal and professional growth, often accompanied by significant challenges. Just as we recognize the critical role lifestyle plays in a patient’s overall health, we apply that same philosophy to our residents’ wellbeing. Our Balanced Life Program was designed with a holistic approach to support the social, psychological, professional, and physical health of our residents. The program fosters a sense of community and resilience throughout training, helping residents thrive during this demanding period.

Key components of the program include regular social events and an annual team-building retreat, featuring activities such as high and low ropes courses, beach outings, wilderness medicine, and thrilling experiences like roller coasters at Cedar Point. Each resident is part of a mentoring team composed of peers from each class year and a dedicated attending physician, creating a supportive network for guidance and connection. Additionally, residents receive personalized wellness coaching tailored to their individual goals and challenges, equipping them with tools and support to maintain balance and wellbeing throughout their residency journey.

Our program is deeply committed to developing well-rounded physicians who excel not only in clinical expertise but also in the practical and professional aspects of medicine. From day one, residents receive structured education in documentation and coding, which is seamlessly integrated into their patient presentations in clinic. This early and consistent exposure ensures residents build strong habits that support accurate, efficient, and compliant medical practice.

To further enhance this foundation, we incorporate Abridge—a suite of artificial intelligence tools designed to connect traditional training methods with modern, data-driven approaches. These tools align with our program’s focus of clinical efficiency by supporting residents in streamlining documentation, optimizing workflows, and personalizing learning experiences. Bridge AI also helps reduce administrative burdens and "pajama time” - the after-hours charting that can erode personal time by automating routine tasks and improving clinical efficiency. By instilling these skills early and integrating intelligent systems into daily practice, we prepare our residents for sustainable and balanced careers as attending physicians, where work-life harmony is not just an aspiration but a reality.

Supporting the physical health of our residents is a key priority. During busy clinic days, residents have access to a variety of nutritious snacks, including protein bars, nuts, strong cheese, hummus and fresh cut vegetables – as well as a resident coffee bar and drink station help maintain energy throughout the day. To promote regular exercise and the proven benefits of physical activity, all family medicine residents receive a family membership to the YMCA, encouraging them to stay active and prioritize their health and wellness both inside and outside the clinic. 

Our structured mentoring system is designed to encourage support, connection, and professional development.  Each resident is placed into a mentoring team that includes a peer from every class year and a dedicated attending physician. To ensure meaningful engagement, protected time is built into the didactic schedule every other month for these teams to meet, offering a space to discuss challenges, share concerns, and provide mutual support. Between formal meetings, residents are encouraged to connect informally—whether over coffee or a casual outing—to maintain continuity and strengthen relationships within their mentoring group.

Corewell Health Lakeland recognizes the unique stressors associated with residency and is committed to supporting residents' mental and emotional well-being. Our Wellness Coaching Program introduces residents to behavioral health concepts, connects residents with mental health resources, and helps destigmatize seeking help. Through individualized coaching sessions tailored to each resident’s personal goals and challenges, participants gain valuable resiliency skills, reduce stress, and gain greater self-awareness. 

This department launched in 2024 at Corewell Health to achieve the vision of creating supportive resources and programming that help reduce stress and enhance the overall well-being of our team members. Boasting an award-winning wellness platform and complimentary offerings for all Corewell Health team members, BeWell fosters the ability to grow and thrive both inside and outside work within six dimensions of well-being: emotional, financial, intellectual, physical, social, and spiritual.

A dedicated branch of the program, BeWellMed, focuses specifically on enhancing the wellbeing and professional fulfillment of Corwell Health physicians, advanced practice providers and residents. To further support this initiative, Graduate Medical Education has a dedicated liaison for the BeWelMed program, ensuring that residents have direct access to tailored resources and support throughout their training.

Our program regularly organizes social events that encourage engagement and camaraderie. We recognize that strong social ties are essential to overall health—contributing to improved physical and mental wellness. By creating opportunities for residents to connect outside of clinical responsibilities, we aim to build a supportive community, enhance program engagement, and cultivate lasting relationships among peers. 

• Annual resident retreats
• Personal wellbeing – massages and therapy dogs
• Recognition & Engagement Wednesday WOW’s - Individual and team recognition
• Protected time - dedicated monthly administrative time and a personal afternoon time block