Resident & Fellow Well-Being Index

The 9-question Well-Being Index was invented by Mayo Clinic for Residents and Fellows as a validated screening tool to evaluate fatigue, depression, burnout, anxiety/stress, and mental/physical quality of life in residents and fellows. An individual’s score is compared to normative data from a large, national sample of U.S. residents and fellows. Evidence indicates that the Index is useful not only for identifying distress, but also for identifying those whose degree of distress places them at risk for adverse consequences (e.g. medical error or suicidal ideation).

ACGME has proposed new common program requirements that include Well-Being (VI.C.), and the Resident/Fellow Well-Being Index is a validated tool for self-assessment screening purposes. Training physicians to realize the importance of self-care is most effective at the start of their careers. By completing the Well-Being Index regularly and tracking their results over time, residents and fellows are able to better identify the causes to a change in their well-being evaluation, promoting self-awareness down the road.

Providing a tool and promoting the importance of well-being encourages residents and fellows to feel supported. The Well-Being Index is one of the ways to facilitate a safe space and to remove the stigma of discussing burnout and meet the new proposed requirements.