In this past year, our community has experienced a number of tragedies and events that have led us to reflect on the adequacy of well-being resources and mental health support for all our trainees. In response to this call for action, Dean Charney created the Dean’s Task Force on the Learning Environment: Enhancing Well-Being and Changing Culture.

This Task Force was formed to assess the current environment and to make recommendations for structural and systemic change. The Task Force divided into working groups to focus on three distinct perspectives:

  1. Access to Mental Health
  2. Well-Being and Resilience
  3. Changing the Academic Culture

Task Force Charge

This Task Force brought together a broad cross-section of ISMMS and Health System constituents to propose enhancements to mental health and well-being services and to redefine the academic culture in the ISMMS learning environment. 

Task Force Scope of Work

The Task Force addressed the charge by focusing on four key areas:

  • Assessing the offerings, availability of and access to mental health services
  • Assessing the adequacy of well-being activities and resources
  • Assessing the effectiveness of coping and resilience skills
  • Redefining the culture of performance and achievement

We would like to offer you the opportunity to comment and engage in the discussion. We encourage you to review the Dean’s Task Force on the Learning Environment: Enhancing Well-Being and Changing Culture Recommendations, the working group’s reports, and provide your feedback here.