RESIDENTS & NEW PHYSICIANS By Elizabeth Ferruzzi, MD Novant Health Family Medicine Residency
A PERMA-nent Commitment to Family Medicine It was around this time last year I felt it as an intern- the growing sense of burnout. We have all felt it at some point, whether in training or practice. What leads us there? A series of continuous inpatient rotations without break, winter’s chill, and minimal daylight hours, among other things. Even at a program that puts a priority on wellness, I felt a loss of energy, a loss of enthusiasm, and a loss of confidence. However, with support from my classmates, my spouse, and my program, I made it through intern year and entered second year with joy, not only surviving but also learning how to thrive. Recently in my cohort’s wellness group, our director of behavioral science introduced us to a model that brings life experiences into perspective in the demands of this profession. Moving past a one-size-fits-all approach to wellness, another lecture on the elusive “work-life balance,” or a one-time yoga workshop, our program encourages us to use the PERMA model (designed by Professor Martin Seligman, leading researcher for positive psychology and human flourishing). It allows residents to tailor lifestyle adjustments to enhance their well-being based on what is important to them, their strengths, and their personal preferences. It stands for Positive emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment. As I reflect on residency through the lens of PERMA, and compare my well-being to this time last year, I have truly come to believe
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that our wellness as residents can be embraced - and there is a better way. Positive emotion: “the right balance of heartfelt positivity to boost our resilience.” On my birthday last year as an intern, I discovered we had missed a brain mass on a patient with a headache because we did not initially get a head CT. Immediately, I felt a sense of personal failure and began to question, “What if?” and “Why did I not think about that?”
Tearing up while trying to explain to my attending, she took me aside and gently told me the most powerful words I had heard all year: “We are perfectionists in a field that is imperfect, so give yourself grace.” As residents and physicians, we will make mistakes, but it is about learning from them and moving forward. We have compassion for our patients, and cases such as these offer a unique opportunity to learn, and be better for the next patient. We can be optimistic and grateful, seeing the opportunities to learn from our mistakes. Heartfelt positivity, gratitude, and giving ourselves grace helps build Dr. Ferruzzi is a PGY-2 at continued resilience. the Novant Health Family Medicine Residency Program in Cornelius, NC, and is currently serving as the Resident Director on the Academy Board of Directors. She hails from Lenoir, North Carolina, and completed her undergraduate degree in Marine Biology at NC State University, where she was Valedictorian and a University Scholar, and went on to graduate from the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University in 2018. As a medical student, Ferruzzi participated in the NCAFP’s Eastern Rural Health Immersion Program, served as a Trustee on the NCAFP Foundation Board of Trustees, and was a Leaders in Innovative Care (LINC) Scholar during her time at Brody. When she has a moment to spare, her hobbies include dancing, swimming, racquetball, rock climbing, running and reading.
Engagement: “the regular development of our strengths – those things we are good at and enjoy doing.” I enjoy building relationships with others. Talking with people, getting to know them, and representing them is energizing to me. A highlight of my intern year that has continued into this year has been my involvement with the NCAFP. With fellow residents, I’ve had the privilege to meet, greet, and represent Family Medicine residents, physicians, and potential future residents in various venues both within North Carolina and nationally. The mentors and colleagues I have gotten to know through this involvement have encouraged my growth in so many areas of my professional life. My hope is to continue to encourage other residents to be able to find their opportunities for engagement to share their gifts in the specialty of Family Medicine.
The North Carolina Family Physician
