Education

Resident Wellness

Quick Links

  • UCMC Resident Well Being Resource: The University of Chicago medical education team promotes learner, educator and staff wellbeing. Effective wellness initiatives affect employee recruitment, retention, satisfaction, efficiency and effectiveness. Wellbeing among health care providers impacts good patient care. Support for our residents and fellows is encouraged at every level including institutional, departmental and peer networks. At an institutional level we promote wellbeing with a number of centralized and shared resources. New initiatives are being created in partnership with residents and fellows to address their needs. Faculty and staff are available to support all learners including the program director. program coordinator, program chair, GME DIO, GME staff, UC chaplain, UC Ombudsman/Ombudsperson, Perpectives representatives, and members of the PAC team. Click the link above to learn more about the Resident Health Initiative, Ombudsperson, the Physician Assistance Committee, Recognizing Fatigue and the Resident Forum.
  • UCMC Zoom Wellness Series: Please join us for the Zoom Wellness Series each weekday from 12:00 to 12:30 pm. This series provides information, guided practice, tools and tips to maintain wellness and is being led by faculty in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience. Open to the BSD, UCM, UChicago, and Ingalls community. A password is required to join this series. To register to attend any or all sessions, please email Karen Jackson. Registrants will receive a link and password to join the session.
  • Incorporating Mindfulness into Clinical Practice: With more than 30 topics available, ​​​​​​​IHI Open School online courses are multimedia learning modules that teach practical skills to improve quality and safety in health care. The courses offer continuing education credits for nurses, physicians, and pharmacists as well as a Basic Certificate in Quality and Safety. In the one-hour course PFC 103: Incorporating Mindfulness into Clinical Practice​ participants will learn how practicing mindfulness — that is, assuming an aware, nonjudgmental, present state of mind — can enhance quality and safety for patients and foster joy in work for clinicians, helping to prevent burnout.​​
  • Didactic lecture dedicated to burnout and to the resources available for preventing and treating burn out.
  • Annual Grand Rounds on Wellness, Burnout and Well-Being
  • The Staff and Faculty Assistance Program (SFAP) is provided by Perspectives Ltd. to assist with the challenges of daily living.  The program is confidential, available 24/7 and provides the following services:
    • Telephone/in-person counseling (office on campus with locations throughout Chicagoland and NW Indiana)
    • Childcare/Eldercare (information and referrals for providers and related needs)
    • Legal/ Financial (consultation, identify theft, and emergency legal assistance)
    • Convenience (pet sitters, home cleaning, relocation, fitness and nutrition)
    • Web based resources (mobile friendly self- directed assessments, links, articles)
    • Online Skillbuilders  (tutorials covering over 60 topic areas to enhance both personal and professional growth)

Residents have a half day OFF each week during their North Shore rotation when they return to the UofC campus for continuity clinic. This half day can be used for personal appointments that may be difficult to schedule on the off weekend or in the evening.

Our Chairman has given the Residents a generous budget for lunch at the daily Didactic Noon Lecture. Lunch is catered from area restaurants 3x/week, usually on Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday.

Our food budget also covers:

  • Every other month our Chief Residents host an end-of-shift PGY2 dinner with the food and drink of their choice. One or both of our Chiefs and the PGY2s gather as a group to reflect on the PGY2 experience. The PGY2 year is front-loaded and the dinners are a simple but effective way to foster camaraderie and teamwork. Topics of discussion can include implementing changes to the PGY2 structure that pave the way for future classes.
  • PGY3 Dinners: The Chief Residents also host a PGY3 dinner usually quarterly. The goal is the same: gather together over food and drink to discuss possible changes to the PGY3 structure. Also, just to have a great dinner together!

Our Chairman has given our program a generous budget specifically earmarked for Resident Wellness.

The first PGY2 Retreat was held in November 2019 and it was a huge success. The seniors covered the services while all of the PGY2s (adult and child) planned a Spa Day followed by lunch, drinks and dessert in downtown Chicago.

At the end of June our Chief Residents and our Wellness Chair host a party to welcome our new PGY2s and Fellows and bring them into the University of Chicago Neuro family the right way - with great food, drink, swimming, music and so much fun - spouses/s.o. and children are welcome!

The end-of-year Graduation Banquet celebrates the achievements our of graduating PGY4s and Fellows. Our Chair, PD and APD host the event at a restaurant in the city (chosen by the graduating class).

In 1893 Hyde Park hosted the Chicago's World Fair (known as the Columbian Exposition) which, among other things, introduced the United States to electricity and the Ferris wheel. The event was so grand that it required more than 600 acres of space, the construction of 200 buildings and welcomed close to 30 million people. More than 120 years later, the area is still a profound hinge point of historical and social importance in Chicago.

Bookended by two of the city's most significant cultural institutions, The University of Chicago to the west and The Museum of Science and Industry to the east, Hyde Park is an incredibly popular South Side neighborhood for locals and visitors. The Museum of Science and Industry is the largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere and boasts more than 2,000 exhibits. The University of Chicago is a Victorian Gothic-clad, Nobel Prize factory with one of the country's most scenic campuses to boot. Not far from the fabled school, you will find the home of President Barack Obama. The neighborhood's cultural contributions don't end there, either.

Robie House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, is widely considered one of the most iconic masterpieces in American design. The DuSable Museum of African American History is the largest institution of its kind in the United States. And the Hyde Park Art Center has been a powerful force in the city's art scene for more than seven decades.

source: https://www.choosechicago.com/neighborhoods/south/hyde-park/

The South Loop is such a dynamic mix of attractions and histories that the neighborhood tends to be seen as many different things to many different people. Consider the assorted areas that comprise the South Loop:

Much of its eastern edge is encompassed by the Museum Campus, an impressive collection of cultural treasures that includes the Field Museum, Adler Planetarium and Shedd Aquarium. This campus sits on scenic lakefront parklands that are an extension of Grant Park. With 319 acres of green space and recreational fields, Grant Park is known as "Chicago's front yard" to locals and also plays host to major city events such as Taste of Chicago, Chicago Blues Festival and Lollapalooza. 

Jutting out further into Lake Michigan is Northerly Island, a peninsula sought out by nature lovers, while along the southern edge the sports fans know Soldier Field as the stadium for the beloved Chicago Bears football team. Meeting attendees are most familiar with McCormick Place, the largest convention center in the country, which is also in the immediate area.

And yet there are even more facets to the South Loop. History buffs point out the Motor Row District along South Michigan Avenue and nearby Prairie Avenue District, the "Millionaire's Row" that was lined with mansions belonging to Chicago's most wealthy elite during the end of the 19th century.

In the adjacent Printer's Row neighborhood, urban loft condos now fill the commercial spaces in what was formerly the center of the Midwest's publishing industry. Connections to this past are still seen within the venerable, independent book store and annual summer lit fest here. But business professionals and students have brought new life and redevelopment (though the vibe remains mellow), filling the restaurants, music clubs, smaller theaters and museums that have all established themselves in the community.

source: https://www.choosechicago.com/neighborhoods/downtown/south-loop/

As Chicago's official downtown area, the Loop is one of the most important central business districts on the globe. In addition to its dynamic architecture and buzzing atmosphere, the area has an incredible concentration of cultural institutions, urban park spaces, award-winning restaurants and a shopper's paradise on State Street.

Famous for its striking architecture, the Loop vaunts signature buildings by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Louis Henri Sullivan, as well as Aqua by modern day prodigy Jeanne Gang. The area hangout, Millennium Park, complements its surrounding with stunning architectural marvels of its own. The park's crown jewels include a Frank Gehry-designed amphitheater and Cloud Gate, the landmark "Bean" that's become an iconic symbol of Chicago. Nearby Maggie Daley Park and the Chicago Riverwalk are two new engaging outdoor spaces that embrace design — and fun!

In addition to architectural marvels, Chicago's cultural attractions also have a prevailing presence in the downtown Loop. The celebrated Theater District buzzes with Tony Award-winning shows and glittering marquees. The Chicago Cultural Center provides an incredible range of performance and visual arts, while the Art Institute of Chicago is widely considered to be one of the finest institutions of its kind in the world.

source: https://www.choosechicago.com/neighborhoods/downtown/loop/

 

River North is a stylish urban neighborhood that borders the Magnificent Mile and is just across the bridge from the Loop, River North is the go-to district for those who appreciate fine art and design. And for those who appreciate fine dining and drinks, the momentum behind the latest trendsetting openings continues to build and the late night energy swells.

Dormant factories and industrial warehouses began their transformation in the 1970s and 1980s, becoming work spaces and studios for artists and entrepreneurs. What followed was an influx of new businesses that densely concentrated the area and have made River North a hub for creativity and entertainment. Anchoring the area is the massive Merchandise Mart, with its endless trade showrooms for furniture and design wholesalers, and surrounding this epicenter are eye-catching galleries, home stores and antique shops. And architectural standouts are plenty, from the twin corn cobs Marina City to its neighbor the stately, steel and glass 330 N. Wabash building by Mies van der Rohe.

Cultured by day, River North shifts into high gear by night. The dining scene is always buzzing-from knockout noodles and Spanish small plates to high-end steakhouses and famed pizzerias. Just about every type of cuisine is covered in this mix of award-winning restaurants and local favorites. And for some after-hours revelry, slip into any of the sleek new clubs, upscale wine bars and craft cocktail lounges that dot the scene.

source: https://www.choosechicago.com/neighborhoods/downtown/river-north/

In Lincoln Park, Chicago's motto urbs in horto—or "City in a Garden"—truly comes to life. Historic churches and handsome brick row houses nestled within landmark districts sit next to peaceful parks, while quiet, tree-lined residential areas give way to bustling business corridors.

Armitage Avenue is lined with independent boutiques and high-end retailers; Clark Street is packed with casual cafes, ethnic restaurants and sweet shops that spill out onto the sidewalks during warm weather; and Lincoln Avenue buzzes all night with bars and taverns that cater to the young college crowd from the nearby DePaul University campus. In addition to shopping and dining, Lincoln Park is a diverse arts and entertainment destination as well with a plethora of museums, top theaters and live music clubs to pick from.

For scenery, there's plenty of natural beauty and outdoors to enjoy. This North Side neighborhood's namesake park is a sprawling 1,208 acres of green space with a free zoo open year-round, a nature museum and conservatory. And when the weather's right, head over to the lakefront trail and beaches, where sand and surf are set against a backdrop of downtown skyscrapers.

source: https://www.choosechicago.com/neighborhoods/north/lincoln-park/

 

Lakeview is anchored by a beautiful stretch of shoreline to the east and dotted with train stops from two ‘L' lines, Lakeview is one of Chicago's liveliest and most accessible neighborhoods. Several distinct areas — East Lakeview, Central Lakeview, Boystown and Wrigleyville — meld together to form a lakefront community that celebrates diversity and boasts something for every type of visitor.

Hit the bustling commercial districts along Belmont Avenue, Lincoln Avenue, Southport Avenue, Clark Street, Halsted Street and Broadway Street to shop — be it for vintage frocks, designer jeans or leather biker gear — or live it up with the locals at the seemingly endless options for bars and pubs, and the dozens of celebrated restaurants in between.

Arts and culture come in the form of live music venues, several summer street festivals and a thriving scene for theater, dance and comedy (Belmont Theater District is a stellar collection of nearly 20 independent companies).

Not to be outdone by its extraordinary entertainment landscape, Lakeview makes full use of its slice of Lincoln Park, a 1,200-acre oasis dedicated to the outdoors. Here you will find the scenic Lakefront Trail, a golf course and driving range, a boat harbor, a bird sanctuary, tennis courts and grassy playing fields that are also perfect for picnics or just soaking in the views.

source: https://www.choosechicago.com/neighborhoods/north/lakeview/

Andersonville is anchored by the Swedish American Museum and home to one of the city's largest gay and lesbian communities, Andersonville is recognized for its diversity. With a quirky atmosphere and distinctive flavor, the area has quickly become one of the North Side's most popular neighborhoods.

Distinctive to Andersonville is a lack of national chains. In fact, the neighborhood's commercial district is made up almost entirely of independent, locally-owned businesses. Between its specialty bakeries, dynamic bar scene and incredible array of stylish boutiques, Andersonville is a thriving example of colorful urban living.

Along Clark Street's fabled "restaurant strip," you will find craft brew emporium Hopleaf Bar, epic brunch spot m. henry and some of the city's best comfort food at Big Jones. Hamburger Mary's is famous for its lively dining atmosphere and outstanding ground chuck. In addition, Hamburger Mary's hosts award-winning stage shows at an in-house theater, which is precisely the kind of eccentric charm that you can expect in Andersonville.

source: https://www.choosechicago.com/neighborhoods/north/andersonville/

 

Edgewater, as the name would imply, hugs the shores of Lake Michigan some seven miles north of downtown Chicago. Famous for its expansive beaches and sprawling park space, this neighborhood boasts an eclectic mix of urban gains and natural beauty. When strolling through Edgewater, expect to find families, a crowd of illustrious city landmarks and some of the Midwest's best antique shopping. 

Between its lantern lights and vintage lamp posts, the neighborhood's Bryn Mawr Historic District is a charming reminder of the city's 1920's era. Bryn Mawr Avenue is lined with notably significant buildings, including the historic Belle Shore Apartment Hotel and Edgewater Presbyterian Church. You will also discover the Edgewater Beach Apartments, which were once connected to the former Edgewater Beach Hotel, an infamous playground for celebrities in the 1950s.

The neighborhood's ethnic mix, which includes large pockets of African and Eastern European immigrants, lends delicious international fare to the area. Edgewater is also famous for its authentic deli's, boutique grocery stores and specialty farm stands. But the neighborhood's signature attraction is its antique shopping.

source: https://www.choosechicago.com/neighborhoods/north/edgewater/

Culture thrives in Pilsen and invites you to explore the treasures that wait around every corner. Here bold murals have blossomed in the most unexpected places — on the fronts of homes, along railway overpasses, and wrapped around train platforms. The artful vibe continues within storefront galleries and studios, as well as in the colorful collections of the National Museum of Mexican Art, a highly-regarded cultural institution.

It's a neighborhood that pulses with a youthful spirit and is ever evolving. For over 150 years, Pilsen has been a port of entry for immigrants. Early on it was waves of Eastern Europeans, which later shifted and became predominantly Latino. Now blended in the close knit Mexican-American community is creative types and students. Thanks to this diversity, you'll find offbeat vintage shops, independent coffee houses and quaint cafes alongside bodegas, panaderias and restaurants serving authentic Mexican cuisine.

Adding to the multicultural mosaic is the neighboring area Heart of Chicago, anchored by several old-school Italian restaurants. But whether you're on 18th Street or Oakley Avenue, it's the strong cultural heritage and rich working class legacy that are the backbone of Chicago's Lower West Side neighborhoods.

source: https://www.choosechicago.com/neighborhoods/west/pilsen/

in Logan Square you'll find cheap eats and bike-friendly streets. Gourmet coffee, scruffy dive bars and artisanal cocktail lounges. Some may say it's a recipe for a hipster haven but there's a proud, working-class sensibility that keeps this Northwest Side neighborhood grounded. In Logan Square, the strong neighborly connection is evident all around, from active preservation groups to community gardens and a locally-run farmers market. "Local" being the key word when describing many aspects of the scene: ingredients are sourced locally at their buzz-worthy restaurants; corner taps tout local, craft brews; galleries showcase local artists; and concerts and street fests promote local, upstart bands.

At the heart of this community is the actual "square" in Logan Square. It comes together at the intersection of Kedzie and Logan Boulevard, where a circle interchange meets with Milwaukee Avenue. The boulevards themselves are widened thoroughfares that are set apart by grassy, landscaped medians and tall, stately trees that border both its sides. The neighborhood boasts four of them in total and these link together to form Chicago's "Emerald Necklace," an expansive system of interconnected parks and streetscapes dotted with beautifully-restored mansions, handsome greystone homes and majestic churches.

source: https://www.choosechicago.com/neighborhoods/north/logan-square/

 

One of Chicago's creative epicenters lies just outside downtown Chicago in Wicker Park and Bucktown. These synonymous neighborhoods are famous for live music and nightlife, chef-driven restaurants and countless art galleries — many housed within the Flat Iron Arts Building. If you have an acute knowledge of craft cocktails or an affinity for coffee, plus want to sift through records or thrifted threads, there's no better area to sip and shop in the country.

The area has become a prevailing influence on Chicago's Michelin-rated, James Beard Award-winning dining scene, boasting some of the city's most sought after tables. Wicker Park and Bucktown are also known for their palate pleasing nightcaps, like renowned brewery Piece and mixology tour de force The Violet Hour.

Along North, Division, Milwaukee and Damen Avenues, you will find an unbelievable blend of vintage shops amid independently-owned boutiques touting fashions for both men and women, and luxury home goods and beauty products. On the same blocks are nationally-recognized names in fashion, and a mix of major retail chains that have also set up shop to satisfy the on-trend crowds.

source: https://www.choosechicago.com/neighborhoods/north/wicker-park-and-bucktown/

EAT

DRINK

source: https://www.choosechicago.com/things-to-do/top-chicago-bucket-lists/the-ultimate-chicago-bucket-list/

EXPERIENCE CHICAGO'S MUSIC & NIGHTLIFE

EXPLORE OUR MUST-SEE MUSEUMS

  • Gaze up at a Titanosaur, the largest land creature known to man, at The Field Museum. Don't worry to say hi to SUE, the most complete and best preserved T.rex ever discovered. 
  • Meander the Art Institute of Chicago, Ferris Bueller-style to see the largest collection of Impressionist art outside the Louvre
  • Stand in a tornado, inside a U-boat, or deep down in a coal mine at the ultra-hands on Museum of Science and Industry
  • Watch rare and local aquatic creatures in stunning habitats at the Shedd Aquarium
  • Marvel at the wonders of the universe at Adler Planetarium, the first planetarium in the Western Hemisphere
  • See remnants of the Great Chicago Fire and hop on the first 'L' car at the Chicago History Museum

SHOWS

  • Sit in the "Splash Zone" at Blue Man Group (waterproof ponchos provided — which says everything!)
  • Spring for the best seats in the house at a Broadway in Chicago show
  • See Chicago's very own talent shine at one of 5 Tony Award-winning theaters: Steppenwolf, Goodman, Victory Gardens, Lookingglass and Chicago Shakespeare — take your pick!
  • Grab a seat at The Yard, a bold new theater space with movable towers for the most contemporary theater-going experience out there. Chicago Tribune has even hailed it as "The Greatest New Theater in the World"!
  • Enjoy experimental and avant-garde theater lakeside (and year-round) at the new and improved Theater on the Lake

source: https://www.choosechicago.com/things-to-do/top-chicago-bucket-lists/the-ultimate-chicago-bucket-list/

SIGHTS

  • Take in "landscape art under glass" at Garfield Park Conservatory, one of the largest conservatory's in the country
  • Watch a light and water show on summer nights at Buckingham Fountain (jets shoot to a height of 150 feet!)
  • Splash alongside larger-than-life Chicagoans at Millennium Park's Crown Fountain 
  • Count the building fragments embedded in the Tribune Tower facade (there's a little bit of the Taj Mahal, Parthenon and Palace of Westminster)
  • And, of course, take a selfie with Cloud Gate (aka The Bean)

THRILLS

  • Stand outside one of the world's tallest buildings at The Ledge, an all-glass balcony at Willis Tower's Skydeck Chicago
  • TILT over the city at 360 CHICAGO observation deck at the former John Hancock Center
  • See fireworks and a 196-foot Ferris wheel rule the skies at Navy Pier all year round.
  • Hover above the city and lake in your very own piloted helicopter

EXPERIENCES

source: https://www.choosechicago.com/things-to-do/top-chicago-bucket-lists/the-ultimate-chicago-bucket-list/

URBAN ADVENTURES

  • Go for a waterfront stroll on the Lakefront Trail
  • Go ice skating along the whimsical skating ribbon at Maggie Daley Park
  • Bike, skate, walk, run — and take in a little hipster culture along The 606  
  • Paddle through an architectural canyon on a river kayak — then grab a drink on the award-winning Chicago Riverwalk 
  • Explore "Chicago's front yard" at beautiful Grant Skate Park, home of top city events like Lollapalooza and Taste of Chicago

CITY IN A GARDEN

  • Lose yourself in the Lurie Gardens — with the Art Institute of Chicago Modern Wing and city skyline as your reference
  • Take some artsy pics at the tortoise shell-like South Pond pavilion —right in the middle of Lincoln Park Zoo's "urban ecology" 
  • Find Lincoln Park's hidden garden: Alfred Calder Lily Pool. Sit in the pavilion, gaze upon the prairie plantings and listen to the songbirds sing. 
  • Catch a tan or a quick volleyball game at one of Chicago's lakefront beaches 

source: https://www.choosechicago.com/things-to-do/top-chicago-bucket-lists/the-ultimate-chicago-bucket-list/

If we were to write a shopper's guide to the city, it would begin and end with the granddaddy of all Chicago retail, The Magnificent Mile. This cosmopolitan, history-packed strip on downtown Michigan Avenue between the Michigan Avenue Bridge and Oak Street leads you from department stores to multi-story megamalls to luxury boutiques to brand name retail chains – all in a row.

The Mag Mile's history dates back to 1871 when the Great Chicago Fire sent the city up in smoke. Miraculously, the flames spared the Water Tower and Pumping Station, which still stand as reminders of the structures that once lined this now famous street. Michigan Avenue is also punctuated by the neogothic Wrigley Building and Chicago Tribune Tower, as well as 875 N Michigan (formerly the John Hancock Center), Chicago's fourth tallest building with postcard-worthy views from its 94th floor observatory.

But the real reason visitors – and of course, locals – flock here is to shop.

source: https://www.choosechicago.com/things-to-do/shopping/magnificent-mile-shopping-guide/