By Rich Godby, MD

Tell us a little about yourself, including why you chose Internal Medicine and UAB?

Sure thing! I am originally from Arkansas—born and raised there. I met my husband Zach in medical school and we have a 7-month-old baby boy Mitchell who is the light of our lives! We also have two dogs who are still very slowly adjusting to the newest addition to the family. As for why I chose IM, I grew up around primary care because my dad is an internist at the medical center in Little Rock, AR. I always kind of knew I wanted to do general internal medicine/primary care, but kept an open mind while in medical school and internal medicine was my favorite rotation by far. My husband and I ranked UAB #1 on our list, and that was one the best decisions we've ever made. I chose to train at UAB mostly because of the gut feeling I had when I interviewed here (it was a good one!), but also for the rigorous training, diverse pathology, and supportive attendings and program leadership.

What does Wellness mean to you?

That is a loaded question but in short, wellness to me means not losing yourself when you're in the throes of it. It means still feeling like a human at least most days of the week and doing whatever it is that makes you feel human whether that be getting fresh air, eating great food, spending time with friends, or something else.

Tell us a little about the Resident Wellness Committee and why you chose to get involved?  What are some of the resources that are currently offered, and what do you hope is in store for the future?

Our Resident Wellness Committee (RWC) was started by residents for residents to focus on supporting each other. It was created in 2014. The current structure includes two co-chairs, myself and Carissa Lau, and about 20 other residents divided into 3 sub-committees (social, community service, and problem-solving). Our overall approach is to increase things that make us "well." By that we mean feel connected, decrease things that make us unwell, promote awareness of wellness and destigmatize talking about burnout. Some of my favorite things that RWC does are the wellness panels separated by PGY class where we openly talk about burnout and share personal stories. I also love the Memorable Patient Series which occurs twice per year where two attendings share touching stories of memorable patients in their career to remind us why we went into medicine. We also do monthly social outings, have community service opportunities, deliver snack baskets to inpatient teams, and e-mail HamHappenings to keep everyone updated on fun things to do around Birmingham. 

How do you maintain your own Wellness?  What are some of the challenges that you’ve faced during residency and how did you deal with them?

Let me preface by saying it's impossible to be "well" 24 hours 7 days a week. It took me a while to learn to be okay with bad days and not being well all of the time. I try to maintain my own wellness by keeping my priorities in check and make time for the things that keep me grounded. I try to set certain times aside to spend with my family and just unplug, which I definitely had some problems doing earlier on in residency. 

How do you plan to maintain your Wellness after residency and promote Wellness in Learners? Who do you view at UAB as role models for Wellness?

I plan to continue to "prioritize my priorities" and also take every opportunity to help others keep focused on their own wellness too. Dr. Jason Morris is definitely one of my role models for wellness. He is always wanting to check in with residents, and he has been tremendously supportive of our RWC over the years.