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Indiana University School of Medicine
Indiana University School of Medicine
Department of Medicine
The Department of Medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine embraces wellness as a sense of thriving across multiple domains. Toward this aim, we are working to implement programming and resources that emphasize and support health, professional success, and overall happiness while increasing the capacity for empathy and resistance to burnout.

Wellness

Wellness is a priority area in the Department of Medicine and a key objective in the IU School of Medicine 2030 Strategic Plan.

To underscore its commitment to ensure faculty, staff and learners feel fulfilled in their personal and professional lives, department leadership created the position of Associate Vice Chair for Wellness in 2023 to promote an institutional culture of well-being that values and prioritizes belonging, humanity, professional engagement and appreciation for every member through advocacy, programs, policy and educational opportunities. As the Associate Vice Chair for Wellness, Mary de Groot, PhD, oversees and assembles a variety of useful and practical resources, making them widely available to members of the department community. The role reports directly to the Vice Chair for Faculty Development.

Associate Vice Chair for Wellness
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Mary de Groot, PhD

Professor of Medicine

A member of the division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Dr. de Groot is a licensed clinical psychologist and behavioral diabetes researcher. Her work in the area of wellness has spanned 20 years and has included the development, delivery and evaluation of wellness programs and structural interventions to promote wellness and well-being among faculty members, staff and learners.

Read Bio

Wellness Committee

The Wellness Advisory Committee consists of representatives from each of the 10 divisions in the Department of Medicine.

Watch & Learn

The Department of Medicine regularly hosts Grand Rounds on topics related to wellness and well-being. Recording of those talks can be found on Kaltura. 

Wellness Programs

The Department of Medicine promotes an institutional culture of wellness through advocacy, programs, policy and educational opportunities.

Reading Room

On OneDrive, you can find an array of wellness-related reading materials to learn from and apply to your specific situation.
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IU School of Medicine Wellness Hub

As a member of the IU School of Medicine community, you have access to a variety of wellness resources, including programs and services to help you reach and maintain a healthy weight, quit smoking, improve your mental health, seek third-party support on a complaint or dispute — and more. Explore the resources available to you, based on your role, in the Wellness Hub.

Wellness
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VITAL Work Life

Launched for IU School of Medicine and IU Health providers and their families in October 2023, VITAL WorkLife is a set of resources that are available to promote wellness specifically designed for health care providers. Access to these free resources include a concierge service, peer coaching, counseling, financial and legal services, and leadership development.

Explore VITAL WorkLife

Resources from Every System

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Healthy IU

IU Health logo

Healthy Results

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Healthy Me

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Whole Health

Department of Medicine Recognition Toolkit

The Department of Medicine strives to have a workplace where every member of the team looks forward to coming to work each day. Recognizing and appreciating the contributions of everyone is an important element to create this type of culture. In this toolkit, you'll find ideas for strengthening relationships in the workplace.

Measuring Wellness

Wellness or well-being is a complex set of concepts that can be measured in different ways. Supporting wellness can take many forms and in many sizes. Whether we are providing an offering for a small group or a large-scale program, there is value in measuring what changes as a result of our good work. Just as we would in a clinical context, we can then use this data to make decisions about future investments and areas for improvement.

Note: Some documents are stored on an IU-only OneDrive platform and an Indiana University log-in is required to access them. If you are having trouble viewing these documents, please make sure you are logged into Microsoft 365. Email Communication Manager Caitlin VanOverberghe if you need further assistance. 

Wellness Measures

Wellness News

The Beat

Coping in the Face of Uncertainty and Change

Mary de Groot, PhD, the Department of Medicine's Associate Vice Chair for Wellness, explores the emotional challenges associated with periods of uncertainty and change. Uncertainty challenges our sense of normalcy, our ability to predict the future and to put ourselves in the best position to meet our needs and overcome obstacles. Change can also be overwhelming, especially if it is unwanted or poses specific threats to our social, financial or emotional safety. She discusses 7 strategies for coping through periods of social strain and ambiguity.

Composite of headshots: Drs. Vater, Bosslet, Reed, McFerron, Neal and Walvoord
Indiana Health

Well Beings: Podcast and video series normalize seeking mental health care