Advancing Health Podcast: Healing the Healers – BMC’s Bold Move to Support Resident Mental Health
Date: June 25, 2025
Host: Jordan Steiger, American Hospital Association
Guests: Simone Martel (Director, BMC Employee Resilience Program), Dr. Jeff Schneider (Associate CMO, Boston Medical Center; Assistant Dean for Graduate Medical Education, BU Chobanian and Avedisian SOM)
Episode Overview
This episode examines Boston Medical Center’s (BMC) innovative and proactive approach to supporting the mental health and emotional well-being of medical trainees. The conversation offers an in-depth look at how BMC’s Employee Resilience Program is reframing mental health support for residents and fellows, aiming to reduce stigma, enhance access, and empower future physicians to prioritize their own well-being.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Introduction to Guests and Program Origins
- [01:35] Dr. Jeff Schneider shares his dual role: emergency medicine physician and administrator overseeing 70+ residency and fellowship programs, impacting 750+ trainees.
- [02:16] Simone Martel introduces herself as a licensed clinical social worker (LICSW), describing her work centered on resilience and wellness for all staff, and specifically discussing recent initiatives for trainees.
2. Identifying Challenges for Residents
- [03:33] Dr. Schneider explains that medical residents often “deprioritize their own health,” which motivated BMC to identify and address barriers to care.
- BMC introduced protected primary care appointments for residents during orientation (~6-7 years ago) to normalize and destigmatize self-care.
"Given the choice between learning something clinical... or getting experience in taking care of their own health, residents across the country tend to deprioritize their own health." — Dr. Jeff Schneider [03:38]
3. Expanding to Behavioral Health
- After initial successes with primary care, BMC expanded to include behavioral health check-ins as a routine and expected component for new residents and fellows (~2022).
- The aim: normalize mental health as part of overall health and integrate it into the culture from day one.
"It is totally normal for residents and fellows who need any behavioral health support... It’s as normal as anything else we do." — Dr. Jeff Schneider [05:07]
4. Program Design: Wellness Resource Chats
- [06:25] Simone Martel details the structure:
- Residents receive information in their welcome letter about scheduling a brief, 15-minute “wellness chat.”
- These chats are non-therapeutic, focusing on resource awareness, coping strategies, and anticipating stressors — serving as a preventive measure rather than treatment.
- Discussions can include helping residents transition existing mental health care (e.g., understanding changes in licensure or insurance).
"...it might come up where somebody... had experiences with mental health supports before, but they might not realize, oh, that person doesn’t have a license to practice in Massachusetts. So I need to keep that going and find the resources locally..." — Simone Martel [07:38]
5. Prevention & Normalization
- BMC’s philosophy: Treat support for mental health like other aspects of preventive care; equip future doctors to practice what they preach to patients.
- Laying groundwork for resource access before crisis points.
- Recognizing both positive and negative stressors in the transition to residency.
"At the time when, you know, mental health challenges potentially arise... We want the groundwork to already be laid for them. That’s really the framework by which we’re trying to approach this." — Simone Martel [08:51]
6. Reducing Stigma, Building Peer Support
- Openly discussing stress and wellness from the start signals institutional acceptance and breaks down barriers.
- The program’s approach helps build a peer culture of openness, so trainees can support each other or seek help for colleagues.
"It’s never the wrong question to ask... are you okay?" — Dr. Jeff Schneider [12:21] - Every trainee who learns about resources in the chats can pass that knowledge along, helping to create a “viral” spread of support among peers.
7. Clarification of Program Boundaries
- Wellness chats are not therapy, but residents/fellows are informed about confidential access to licensed clinicians if needed.
- The aim is to connect people to services and make sure they know where to turn, not provide therapy during the chat itself.
8. Impact and Broader Lessons
- BMC’s work offers a national model for trainee wellness, providing ideas for other institutions wishing to address similar challenges.
"The work that you have shared... is really setting such a strong, incredible example for our membership." — Jordan Steiger [12:53]
Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes
- "Given the choice... residents across the country tend to deprioritize their own health." — Dr. Jeff Schneider [03:38]
- "We want that groundwork to already be laid for them." — Simone Martel [08:51]
- "It’s never the wrong question to ask, 'Are you okay?'" — Dr. Jeff Schneider [12:21]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 01:35: Dr. Schneider’s introduction and background
- 02:16: Simone Martel’s background and the genesis of wellness initiatives
- 03:33: Identification of residents’ unique mental health challenges
- 06:25: Prevention and structure of wellness chats
- 08:51: Anticipating barriers and laying groundwork before crisis
- 09:56: Access vs. therapy: defining the program's intentions
- 11:47: Building peer support and normalizing conversations
- 12:53: Broader impact for hospitals, closing remarks
Conclusion
BMC’s proactive, multifaceted approach to resident and fellow mental health bridges operational, cultural, and personal barriers to care. By normalizing preventive wellness, providing primary and behavioral health access from day one, and fostering peer support, BMC is creating a culture where future physicians are better equipped to care for themselves—and ultimately, their patients. This episode stands as a blueprint for other organizations seeking to address burnout and support the next generation of healthcare providers.