Mission
The Rush University Student Wellness Association (RU Well) strives to support Rush students in their quest to lead truly healthy lives, in all aspects of the word healthy.
Graduate school for the health professions is an undeniably difficult feat. The combination of high expectations, large volume of material, and the understanding that patients’ lives will soon be resting in our hands can be quite stressful. And these stressors will only amplify as we move out of the classroom and into the hospital. The most recent studies show that burnout rate in medicine exceeds 50%, with an associated high rate of suicide. Clearly, something needs to change.
The pressures of medicine will always be present; it is the nature of our field of work. The approach and mindset of the healthcare professional, on the other hand, can be adapted to meet these pressures. The Rush University Student Wellness Association believes that this is the key to the future success of healthcare professionals.
Our goal is to train students to focus on all aspects of their health. When life becomes busy and stressful, we want students to have the tools and techniques to manage their well-being. This will be accomplished by teaching and practicing: meditation, breathing exercises, wholesome nutrition, physical exercise, adequate sleep, compassion, and more, all within the constraints of a busy school schedule. We hope that the lessons taught in each session can be used regularly in students’ lives to help them maintain balance and happiness.
Practicing mindfulness early in our healthcare careers will benefit us in the long term as we become physicians, nurses, and other valuable medical professionals. Equally important, this will benefit patient outcomes, since studies have shown that physician burnout is associated with a lower quality of care.
Join us on our quest as we focus on changing the mindset of the healthcare profession, one student at a time!
Contact Information
Co-President: Samantha Levin
Co-President: Julia Harbison
Advisor: Jay Behel and Bridget Hahn