Facility Engagement — Peace Arch Hospital (Year-Round)

Facility Engagement (FE) at Peace Arch Hospital (PAH) hosts several wellness initiatives for community and hospital physicians throughout the year.

• Conversation Cafés: Interactive conversations on topics related to your well-being at home and work, facilitated by a professional coach. The sessions run monthly via Zoom. Attending physicians are compensated for their time by FE.
• Journal Club: Provides an opportunity to review and discuss medical journal topics of interest. The sessions take place monthly in-person (includes dinner) or via Zoom. Attending physicians are compensated for their time by FE.
• Engagement Lunches: Take place weekly on Wednesdays at PAH. Lunch is provided for attendees (no compensation).
• Peer Support Program: Provides confidential one-on-one peer support from physician colleagues.

To connect with a peer supporter (in White Rock South Surrey or outside the community), contact Dr. Ruffo at cjruffo@gmail.com. View the FE calendar here: pahmsa.org/updates.

To submit your time for compensation after you have attended a Conversation Café or Journal Club, email pahmsa@gmail.com.

Physician Health Program — Doctors of BC

Offers free confidential counselling with a licensed Lifeworks clinical counsellor. Also provides short term counselling from a network of counsellors, a peer-to-peer drop-in support program, and more services. physicianhealth.com

UBC Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Skills Physician Wellness Group Training

This free 8-week virtual course is designed to provide practicing BC physicians and nurse practitioners with education and training to support their own mental well-being through evidence-based self-management strategies. Secondary benefits include increased awareness of CBT and its clinical applications and training in skills coaching for patients. Learners can claim up to 48.0 Mainpro+ credits/16.0 MOC Section 1 credits. Various dates and times available in 2024-2025. ubccpd.ca/collaborate/portfolios/cbt-skills

Starling Minds: Free Mental Health Program for Stress and Anxiety

Starling Minds is a free online program for that helps individuals improve mental fitness and well-being. The sessions are short, easy to follow and ready to be accessed when you are on the go, at work or at home. Register at: app.starlingminds.com/registration/FHA. Use access code: FHAWELLNESS.

Division Well-Being Index

Join your physician colleagues in using the Well-Being Index to regularly measure and support your wellness. Download the app on the App Store or Google Play or use the website to track your well-being and access wellness resources. The well-being questionnaire takes less than 30 seconds to complete, and your scores remain anonymous.

Create a free online account using this link and the invitation code FRASER HEALTH. Remember to choose “Divisions of Family Practice > White Rock South Surrey” as the practice location on the form. app.mywellbeingindex.org

Physician Wellness Hub — Canadian Medical Association

Offers a variety of free and reliable wellness tools and resources to empower physicians in distress. cma.ca/physician-wellness-hub

WellDoc Canada

Provides a resource directory, community bulletin board, newsletter, and free education sessions aimed at enhancing literacy and awareness about the science of physician wellness, promoting self-reflection, and navigating change.  welldoccanada.org

Physician Wellness — Canadian Medical Protective Association

Provides articles, videos, and a phone line with information on coping with stress and managing medico-legal issues. cmpa-acpm.ca

Resources For Health Care Workers — Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

This site offers support to help health care workers maintain their health and wellness while coping with a wide array of stressors. camh.ca

AMA STEPS Forward®

AMA STEPS Forward® open-access free resources offer innovative strategies that allow physicians and organizations to thrive in the new health care environment. These resources can help you prevent burnout, create a foundation for joy in medicine, and improve practice efficiency. Discover free toolkits, playbooks, podcasts, and webinars. edhub.ama-assn.org/steps-forward

Mental Health Week, May 12-18, 2025

This weeklong national campaign aims to raise awareness about mental health and promote strategies to enhance overall well-being. Every May, individuals and organizations across Canada participate in this event, working to reduce the stigma associated with mental health conditions. You can find free resources, tools, and guides to support your mental health at CMHA’s Mental Health Week website. cmha.ca/mental-health-week

GenWell Weekend, September 2025

Strategically selected weekend provides an excuse, reminder, and permission to connect with family, friends, neighbours, classmates, or colleagues. Online ideas, tools, and challenges help inspire you to connect with others. genwellweekend.org

Spread Kindness

Kindness benefits both your well-being and that of others! Here are simple ways to spread kindness:

• • Treat a colleague to a coffee.
  • Send a text to a co-worker thanking them for just being them.
  • Offer to cover a shift for a fellow physician who may need a break.
  • Compliment someone on their work.
  • Share a positive story or an encouraging word with your team during a meeting.
  • Volunteer your time to mentor a resident.
  • Offer to help with a challenging case or project.
  • Donate to a colleague’s favourite charity in their name.
  • Create a “kudos” board where team members can leave positive messages for each other.
  • Share educational resources or articles that might benefit your peers.

These random acts of kindness help create a supportive work environment, contributing to everyone’s well-being.