Cultivating Well-Being for the Department of Anesthesia Community

The fall is a good time to reflect on what we’ve done and to look forward to what we’ll be doing in the months ahead. Fall 2021 is our first edition of Well-Being Quarterly, a publication for and about our entire anesthesia community. Through this quarterly, we’ll be highlighting news that’s transitioning us toward a more harmonious workplace that merits such fundamental qualities as respect, kindness, collaboration, creativity, recognition and teamwork.

I’d like to explain how we’ve organized our new publication. Each issue will have several columns that feature themed content. These are: Your Well-Being News, Thank You For Making My Day, Did You Know, Money Matters, Spotlight and Recommendations. We welcome your contributions to any of these columns and your suggestions to help us identify new content that may interest you.

For Your Well-Being, Jina Sinskey, Associate Chair of Well-Being

Your Fall Well-Being News

Join Our Strava Group!

Yes, there is an Anesthesia Strava team and it is growing. Join our community of athletes by contacting organizer Vanessa Henke. For those unfamiliar with Strava, it's an online network that connects our faculty, students, staff, and trainees in such activities as running, biking, triathlons, and so much more. Our website is under construction but you can get your questions answered by contacting Vanessa Henke .

Our First Community Building Workout and Picnic

It’s a sure-fire way to build our camaraderie with a sweaty workout and great eats! That’s what several members of our Anesthesia community did Sunday, November 7 as we trained with Barry’s Bootcamp instructor, Vidal Carlin for a full hour total-body workout followed by a delicious communal picnic lunch on the Presidio Green.

As you can see from the photos, many participants had a great time soaking in the warm sunny day while visiting with old friends and making new ones. We plan more classes and picnics in the future and will keep you informed but do keep an eye out for upcoming department-sponsored community-building events, including the approaching holiday card-making social. Much appreciation to Justin Libaw and Vanessa Henke for this great event!

Interested in Being a Peer Supporter?

Thank You For Making My Day!

Did somebody make your day? This column features stories of our UCSF Anesthesia colleagues going above and beyond! This edition's story is from Joyce Chang, MD, Director Faculty Well-Being --

John Feiner, Professor Clinical Anesthesia

My thanks are for Dr. John Feiner! I think no matter how long I've been doing this, nights on call always make me a little uneasy because you never know what is going to happen and probably because I have a "white cloud" of learning--something people who have been on call with me can attest to!

It was another one of those nights where the E1 phone rings and it's one of the surgical attendings saying she needs to book an immediate case for a patient in the ED with hemorrhagic shock, her exact words were "think of it as one of those Room 1 cases at the county." Next thing you know it's all hands on deck in the OR working to resuscitate and get the case started, and it really just feels like there aren't enough hands. And then just out of nowhere, John walks in and starts helping out. He had been in one of the other ORs with a liver transplant case and said he just had a "feeling" that I could use a hand. Thanks to him and the whole team, we were able to get through the case with a great outcome for our patient! That sense of relief I felt when I saw him and the overall feeling of support I have from my colleagues is just one of things that I love about working in the UCSF Anesthesia department.

Want to share your story? You can do it HERE.

Did You Know:

Let's Begin with the Well-Being Pearl of Community!

The department’s well-being efforts are organized by the six areas of worklife model proposed by Dr. Christina Maslach and Dr. Michael Leiter: workload, control, reward, community, fairness, and values. This year’s focus is on community!

Money Matters

Financial well-being is important for overall wellness! Here are some financial tidbits from Victor Ng.

· Dependent care benefits are up this year versus the prior year.

· Thinking about putting money into a backdoor Roth IRA? Consider doing it before Congress potentially changes the rules next year.

· For the residents and fellows: Thinking about disability insurance? It may be worth getting together with a few other people to get a group rate. The savings can potentially amount to 10% to 20%.

Spotlight

Meet Dr. Michael Gropper

UCSF Profile

Share one thing that brings you joy.

Now that my children are grown, nothing brings me more joy than to have the whole family together. This happens only 2-3 times a year, as my older daughter, Hannah, lives in Manhattan. Second to that is being on my bicycle in the hills of the Santa Cruz Mountains near my home in Portola Valley.

When did you join UCSF?

I first came to UCSF in 1982. After graduating from UC Davis in 1979, I applied to medical school, but didn’t get in. I decided to pursue a PhD in physiology and moved to NYC to the graduate program at Columbia. NY in 1981 was nothing like it is today, and while I liked parts of it, I missed California. I asked my thesis advisor if I could work in a lab at UCSF for the summer, and he agreed. He referred me to Norman Staub, a Professor of Physiology. In the lab I met Michael Matthay and Jeanine Wiener-Kronish. I loved the science and the environment, in addition to being back home. As I finished my PhD in 1988, I reapplied to medical school, graduating from UCLA in 1989. I then returned to UCSF in ’89 and have been here ever since.

What is your favorite part of being at UCSF?

The people. It is an extraordinary institution with brilliant people sharing a mission of scientific discovery, outstanding patient care, and health equity.

What is a little-known fact about you?

When I graduated from Lowell High School in SF, I chose UC Davis, thinking I might pursue viticulture and enology (wine growing and making), as my mother’s side of the family had been winemakers in Germany for generations, up until the Holocaust. I idolized my grandfather Otto Meyer, a major figure in the development of California’s wine industry.

Do you have a favorite quote to share?

I have a few, not all of which can be shared. But: “You keep using that word. I don’t think it means what you think it means” Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride.

Any ideas on how to spread kindness and well-being in our community?

For me, it is to “see” people, say hi, and thank them. It is especially important now, and so I really try to acknowledge those that are often unseen: environmental services, cafeteria workers, patient transport, security--everyone.

Spotlight

Meet Meaquel Hodges at ZSFG

Credentialing Coordinator

Anesthesia Staff Directory

Share what brings you joy.

My 12-year-old brings me joy. She’s my pride and joy. Raising her and making sure she’s a well-rounded individual. I hope one day she realizes that everything I do is for her.

When did you join UCSF?

I started working at ZSFG in March 2018.

What is your favorite part of being at UCSF?

Honestly, it’s when I take a lunch break and I run into patients. I try to help them, and I love working with the faculty at ZSFG. They’re really nice, sweet, easy to get along with. If I meet patients who are having difficulty finding their way around, I normally walk them to the location.

What is a little-known fact about you?

Most people don’t realize that I’m shy and very reserved. It’s not apparent In both my work and my own time. I’m usually talkative and always ready to do my job and help as much as I can. I’m a team player all around.

Do you have a favorite quote to share?

One of my favorites is from Eleanor Roosevelt: “A woman is like a tea bag. You never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water.”

Any ideas on how to spread kindness and well-being in our community?

I honestly feel everyone should treat people how they want to be treated. Just be nice. Even though you may be going through an upsetting time. Without realizing it, you may be carrying it on your shoulders. Always treat people as you want to be treated.

What are your hobbies and activities?

I’m cooking more. I always go over to help my grandma cook. I’ve learned a lot from her. I also do a lot of volunteering in my daughter’s school and on the weekends, I help my grandparents in any way I can.

Recommendations

Best Hikes in the Bay Area

Let's start the ideas flowing with Jina Sinskey's Best Hikes in the Bay Area. Here are my Top 10!

1. Fort Funston (San Francisco): Beach access, dog friendly

2. Mount Sutro Open Space Reserve (San Francisco): Dog-friendly, close to Parnassus!

3. Lands End Trail (San Francisco): Dog friendly, close to the VA!

4. Mori Point (Pacifica): Beach access, dog friendly

5. Arastradero Preserve (Palo Alto): Great for hiking and biking, dog friendly

6. Redwood Regional Park (Oakland): Amazing redwood forest, dog friendly

7. Mount Diablo State Park (Walnut Creek): Challenging but rewarding

8. Coastal Trail, Marin Headlands (Sausalito): Beach views, can head to Rodeo Beach after, dog friendly

9. Muir Woods (Mill Valley): Parking reservations required

10. Dipsea and Steep Ravine Trail (Mt. Tamalpais State Park): Near Stinson beach

The Recommendations column is open for contributions from our readers. It's a space where you can share your favorite things. The sky's the limit with your suggested favorites, like your favorite restaurant, great things to do, your Top 10 list, best reads, podcasts, films, or suggestions about Best Delivery or Best Pet Friendly places. The point is to bring out your favorites and bests to share with all of us!

Visit Our Well-Being Webpage

WELL-BEING QUARTERLY is a publication of the Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care @ 2021 UCSF. All rights reserved. You can contact me at our department mailbox, Anesthesia Well-Being, or Jina.Sinskey@ucsf.edu.