Janine Quijano

In the spring of 2017, the postdoc association at City of Hope National Medical Center (COH-PDA) steering committee decided to make postdoctoral scholars wellness a strategic and programmatic priority. We began this process by collecting data on postdoc wellness at City of Hope (COH) and wellness initiatives at other institutions.

In an anonymous survey of the COH postdoc community, 15-20 percent of respondents reported experiencing low morale as a result of a stressful training environment. Subsequently, the COH-PDA conducted a second survey that asked postdocs ‘If there was a psychologist on campus that they could talk to, would they ask for help?’ Almost 40 percent of the respondents said they would. This data reflected a need to develop a culture of wellness amongst COH postdoc community through outreach and providing additional resources.

The survey data also encouraged the COH-PDA steering committee to contact COH mentors interested in supporting postdoc wellness. For example, we met with Clarke Anderson, MD, and Arti Hurria, MD, to discuss their efforts to combat mental fatigue.

Finally, we researched current COH resources and utilization, as well as what other institutions have available for postdocs in relation to wellness and mental health support. We concluded that a multi-faceted approach would best serve our postdocs. Our strategy focused on creating and implementing wellness activities, onsite counseling, and mentor resources to increase wellness and decrease crisis situations.

PDA-PTO Collaborations to Improve Postdoc Wellness

The City of Hope Postdoc Training Office (PTO) fully supports the COH-PDA’s focus on wellness. The office leadership, Adam M. Bailis, PhD, associate dean of professional development and Yvette Lane-Newton, MA, postdoctoral studies program manager, advocate for and connect postdocs to wellness and mental health resources.

In response to the new initiative, the PTO hosted a workshop called ‘Movies for Mental Health’, led by the group Art with Impact. After watching a few short films about individuals struggling with mental health, attendees were led through a series of questions that allowed us to share our own experiences. Information on available wellness resources was also provided.

The feedback from this event was very positive and motivated the COH-PDA to create small, intimate activities to encourage wellness amongst postdocs. Due to the busy and unpredictable schedule of working in a laboratory, we created wellness activities to accommodate a variety of postdoc schedules and interests. For example, we host weekend hikes in the local hills, and happy hour or game night on weekday evenings, and mid-afternoon monthly cake days to celebrate postdoc birthdays. Hosting these activities promotes social connection through shared activities among COH postdocs.

Future Goals for Increased Wellness Programming

Currently, we are planning a seminar series on recognizing depression and chronic stress, and incorporating wellness activities into daily life. In collaboration with the PTO, our future plans include engaging a psychologist and wellness expert. This person would be available to address mental health challenges as well as host seminars on different aspects of mental health, including stigma, awareness and activities to reduce stress. We are also planning a lecture series for mentors on encouraging wellness amongst their trainees and connecting them with resources.

COH has also implemented a new Employee Wellness Program that integrates phone apps with one-on-one expert guidance and support to incorporate healthy habits into our daily lives. This includes free classes on exercise and healthy eating. For example, there are yoga classes in the morning, Tai-Chi in the evening, as well as employee soccer and basketball teams. In addition, the COH-PDA will have an official ‘wellness ambassador’ within the Employee Wellness Program to ensure the institution is aware of postdoc needs and that the postdoc community has access to the institution’s efforts and resources.

Encouraging a Focus on Wellness Nationwide

Life as a postdoctoral scholar can be stressful. Learning techniques to effectively manage high-stress situations and day-to-day responsibilities is critically important. Choosing a career in research and pursuing postdoctoral training almost guarantees a high-stress environment as you meet deadlines, mentor expectations, as well as the constant pressure to publish. Even when postdocs manage to be overtly productive in the lab, they can struggle to find adequate time for a private life.

Postdocs need help and support to effectively manage stress, to cultivate emotional health, and physical wellness. As chair of the COH-PDA, I am a dedicated advocate for wellness amongst COH postdocs. We would be happy to share best practices with PDAs and PDOs around the nation. Together, our efforts are making a difference and we will continue to implement ideas fostering wellness within the postdoc community at COH and across the nation.

Janine Quijano PhD, is a postdoctoral fellow at the City of Hope National and chair of the COH Postdoc Association