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Date: January 30th, 2019

This is the third annual Canadian EM Wellness Week from CAEP. Emergency Medicine Ottawa is posting new episodes each day focusing on the humanity in emergency medicine.

  • Day 1: Finessing your Finances in Residency
  • Day 2: You’ve Got A Friend in Me – The Importance of Social Wellness and Being a New Parent
  • Day 3: The Sandwich Generation – An Interview with Ken Milne and Nutritional Advice
  • Day 4: A Letter to my Younger Self
  • Day 5: Closing Thoughts

Dr. Bill Hettler, a family physician, originally developed the Wellness Wheel concept in 1976. He also co-founded the National Wellness Institute (NWI). Dr. Hettler identified six dimensions of wellness (occupational, physical, social, intellectual, spiritual and emotional). The NWI defines wellness as an active process through which people become aware of, and make choices toward, a more successful existence.

Definition of Wellness: the quality of state of being in good health especially as an actively sought goal. Merriam-Webster Dictionary

I was honoured to be asked to represent the “sandwich” generation of emergency physicians. Dr. Lisa Fischer interviewed me about taking care of parents and children while still working full time. We discussed how my father’s recent illness and death impacted me and things that helped me cope. You can read the blog by Dr. Fischer on nutritional advice at EMOttawa and you can listen to the podcast as an SGEM Xtra.

Ken Sr. and Ken Jr.

I learned five things as a result of being on the edge of burnout:

  1. It’s ok not to be ok
  2. Vulnerability is a sign of strength not weakness
  3. Take care of yourself
  4. Don’t be afraid or ashamed to ask for help
  5. Don’t panic, this too shall pass

You can watch my presentation on burnout at ACEM18, read the SGEM blog, download the slides, or listen to the SGEM Xtra podcast to find out more about burnout.

More resources on wellness can be found at these links (ACEM Member Wellbeing, ACEP Wellness Section, CAEP Resident Wellness and EMRA Wellness Committee).

REMEMBER TO BE SKEPTICAL OF ANYTHING YOU LEARN, EVEN IF YOU HEARD IT ON THE SKEPTICS’ GUIDE TO EMERGENCY MEDICINE.