Through five virtual sessions, the STS Wellness Institute aims to help cardiothoracic surgery professionals understand how work, various stressors of life, and personal behaviors impact them—and how to become their best selves in and out of the OR. In the current, budget-constrained environment, where funds for research, education, and travel may be restricted, this virtual program offers a pathway for CT surgeons to explore vital topics related to wellness, foster their own well-being, and help to propagate wellness at their institutions.
The Wellness Institute comprises five virtual sessions—each including a didactic presentation by a subject matter expert, followed by small-group discussion among attendees. Lectures will be recorded, but discussions will be private and allow attendees to discuss personal topics without concern for their conversations being captured or shared.
This program is exclusively for STS members!
Agenda
Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025
8 - 9 p.m. ET
Financial wellness is a crucial pillar of overall wellness and is intricately linked to many aspects of an individual’s personal and professional life. In this session, we bring together cardiothoracic surgeon leaders and non-physician financial advisors with extensive experience in the healthcare advising space to learn about important financial topics, such as personal investing, tax and insurance considerations, family planning, and retirement savings. The program will feature a presentation from Personal Choice Financial Advisors, followed by robust group discussion to build tools and strategies for financial wellbeing and independence.
Moderator:
Andrea Axtell, MD, MPH
University of Wisconsin
Madison, WI
Speaker: Personal Choice Financial Advisors
Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025
8 - 9 p.m. ET
Improving one's overall well-being and recovery is essential to optimize personal performance in all aspects of life. There is a growing use of wearables, such as smartwatches, fitness trackers, and rings, that gather biometric data in real time which can be tracked and leveraged to improve stress management, sleep hygiene, and recovery. By becoming more aware of our body's stress signals and responses through biometric feedback, we can take proactive steps to optimize performance, improve satisfaction at work and home, and potentially increase career longevity.
Moderator:
Shawn Groth, MD, MS
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX
Speakers:
Andrea Wolf, MD
Mount Sinai
New York, NY
Lauren Barron, MD
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX
Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026
8 - 9 p.m. ET
Wellness in the workplace requires proper ergonomics to avoid injury in the operating room. Given the intense physical demands of cardiothoracic surgery, such injuries are common and often necessitate treatment and time off work. Furthermore, the long-term impact of ergonomic challenges can reduce career longevity. Therefore, a deeper understanding of the ergonomic challenges facing cardiothoracic surgeons as well as strategies to reduce the risk of work-related injury is essential for trainees and for practicing surgeons.
Moderator:
Shawn Groth, MD, MS
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX
Speaker:
Donal Palencia, MS
CHI St. Luke's Medical Center
Houston, TX
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
8 - 9 p.m. ET
This session will feature a conversation with author and expert Dr. Yael Schonbrun about strategies to balance a demanding career with being an active and involved parent. Dr. Schonbrun is the author of the award-winning book Work, Parent, Thrive: 12 Science-Backed Strategies to Ditch Guilt, Manage Overwhelm, and Grow Connection (When Everything Feels Like Too Much), and a practicing clinical psychologist and faculty at Brown University.
Moderator:
Gavitt A. Woodard, MD
Yale School of Medicine
New Haven, CT
Speaker:
Yael Schonbrun, PhD
Brown University
Providence, RI
Tuesday, April 28, 2026
8 - 9 p.m. ET
In this session, surgeons will learn to recognize early warning signs of burnout, emotional exhaustion, and stress-related vulnerabilities. By understanding how unmanaged stress can lead to negative coping strategies and self-destructive behaviors, participants will explore pro-active strategies for resilience, balance, and protecting mental health. Over time, this will foster psychological safety and a culture of wellness within surgical teams, colleagues, and hospital systems.
Moderator:
Boris Sepesi, MD
Swedish Medical Center
Englewood, CO
Speaker:
Mike Klaybor, PhD, LPC-S
Klaybor and Klaybor Psychotherapy Services
Houston, TX
Learning Objectives
After completing the series, learners should be able to:
- Identify tools and resources that can be used to foster individual well-being.
- Describe the dimensions that comprise overall wellness.
- Employ wellness resources towards their own well-being.
- Implement wellness activities and programs throughout their team, institution, or community.
Registration
This program is exclusively for members of STS. Registration includes access to all five virtual sessions, recorded versions of all featured speakers, and the opportunity to participate in private, small-group discussions with other participants. Members can register at any point during the series, but registration will not be prorated.
Participants can claim 1 CME credit per live session attended. Continuing medical education credit will not be offered for the recorded content.
Pricing
STS Surgeon, Senior, and Associate Physician Members | STS Associate Members | STS Resident/Fellow and Medical Student Members |
|---|---|---|
$450 | $150 | $100 |
Accreditation
The Society of Thoracic Surgeons is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
The Society of Thoracic Surgeons designates each of these live activities for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in each activity.