This page, developed with assistance from members of the STS Task Force on Wellness, highlights some of the important Society activities related to wellness, strategies for building and maintaining resiliency, and resources to help reduce burnout and achieve optimal performance.
"The Resilient Surgeon" Podcast Series
"The Resilient Surgeon" aims to inspire cardiothoracic surgeons to be their best selves, in and out of the OR, using scientifically proven tools and recovery strategies of the world's top performers. In each episode, host Michael Maddaus, MD, talks to game changers in the high-performance and wellness space who can share real-world strategies for building and maintaining resiliency. They describe evidence-based practices and approaches derived from personal experiences to help reduce burnout and achieve optimal performance.
SEASON 2
- Haytham Kaafarani, MD, MPH - Second Victim Syndrome (12/16/22)
- Steve Magness - Mental skills development, health, and human performance (12/2/22)
- Christine Porath - Civility in the workplace and community (11/18/22)
- Marcus Buckingham - Unlocking strengths and increasing performance (11/4/22)
- Rich Diviney - Mastering innate qualities that drive performance (10/21/22)
- Brian Little, MD - People Analytics (10/7/22)
- Amy C. Edmondson, PhD - Psychological safety (9/23/22)
- Paul Conti, MD - Psychological trauma (9/9/22)
- Brad Stulberg - Human performance, sustainable success, and the practice of groundedness (8/26/22)
SEASON 1
- Monique Valcour, PhD - Burnout (7/9/21)
- Dorie Clark - Developing boundaries (7/23/21)
- Wendy Wood, PhD - Forming new habits (8/6/21)
- Daniel Lieberman, MD - The dopamine lie (8/20/21)
- Robert Lustig, MD, MSL - Metabolic health and nutrition (9/3/21)
- Michael Maddaus, MD - Grit and resilience (9/17/21)
- Suniya Luthar, PhD - Developing authentic connections (10/1/21)
- Jud Brewer, MD, PhD - Mindfulness, meditation, and breaking bad habits (10/15/21)
- Wayne M. Sotile, PhD - Physician resilience and work/life balance (10/29/21)
- Chris Germer, PhD - Mindfulness and self-compassion (11/12/21)
- Christopher M. Barnes, PhD - Impact of sleep deprivation on leadership and behavior (11/22/21)
- Oliver Burkeman - Time management (11/29/21)
- Brian Ferguson - Human potential and high performance medicine (12/17/21)
Subscribe to Surgical Hot Topics via your favorite podcast app. New episodes will be added regularly and social media postings about the series will include the hashtag #BeYourBestSelf.
Watch the Season 1 Video Trailer
STS Resources/Articles
- Blog Article - The Train Is at the Station (2021)
- Video Webinar - The Resilient Surgeon: Strategies to Be Your Best Self, In and Out of the OR—No Matter What (2021)
- Audio Webinar - The Resilient Surgeon: Strategies to Be Your Best Self, In and Out of the OR—No Matter What (2021)
- Blog Article - The Pandemic's Byproduct: Work-Life Integration, At Last by Mara B. Antonoff, MD (2020)
- STS News Article - Burnout in CT Surgery Threatens Job Satisfaction, Patient Care (2020)
- Video Roundtable - Strategies for Surgeons to Prevent Burnout (2020)
- Audio Roundtable - Strategies for Surgeons to Prevent Burnout (2020)
- Podcast Episode - Beyond the Abstract: The Resilience Bank Account (2019)
- Blog Article - Resilience and Overcoming Adversity by Melanie A. Edwards, MD (2019)
- Blog Article - How Busy Surgeons Can Achieve Work-Life Integration by Mara B. Antonoff, MD (2019)
- STS News Article - STS Members Worry About Competition, Work-Life Balance (2019)
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Comprehensive Characterization of the General Surgery Residency Learning Environment and the Association with Resident Burnout (The Annals of Surgery, July 2021)
- Enhanced Stress Resilience Training in Surgeons: Iterative Adaption and Biopsychosocial Effects in 2 Small Randomized Trials (The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, March 2021)
- Sex-Based Role Misidentification and Burnout of Resident Physicians (The Annals of Surgery, November 2020)
- National Survey of Burnout and Distress Among Cardiothoracic Surgery Trainees (The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, August 2020)
- The Resilience Bank Account: Skills for Optimal Performance (The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, September 2019)
Other Resources
Book Reviews
- This is Excellent News! by Michael Maddaus, MD (October 15, 2021) about Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
Blog Articles
- Either Way It Will Be Okay by Michael Maddaus, MD (LinkedIn, October 21, 2021)
- Be Nice or Leave! Manners Matter in Medicine by Wayne M. Sotile, PhD (Medscape, July 2021)
- Are Physicians Ever Bullied? by Wayne M. Sotile, PhD (Medscape, June 2021)
- The Four Attitudes of Resilient Medical Families by Wayne M. Sotile, PhD (Medscape, May 2021)
- The Stepping Stones to a Balanced Life by Wayne M. Sotile, PhD (Medscape, May 2021)