Wellbeing Committee
MISSION
To support and promote the wellbeing of medical students by providing resources, building relationships, and cultivating an environment to foster the health of the whole person.
Working together & Celebrating diversity, equity, and inclusion
Creating effective personal environments, engaging with nature, and promoting global environmental health through sustainability
Supporting the safety and empowerment of all medical students
Discovering meaning and direction for one’s life both inside and outside of medicine
Connecting with self and others
Supporting mind-body for balanced lifestyle
Meet the Committee Leads
Miller Balley - President
Why are you passionate about wellbeing?
I am passionate about wellbeing for medical students because in order to care for our future patients we first have to care about ourselves. It can be easy to forget about our own wellness so I am excited to be part of a group that carves out time for the school community to focus on wellbeing. Every person feels their best doing different activities which is why I love that we focus on 6 dimensions of wellbeing and plan a variety of events.
What specialty/specialties are you interested in?
I am currently interested in Family Medicine but who knows where I will end up!
How do you relax / cope with stress?
To relax I love watching a goofy show like Nailed it or We Bare Bears and baking something fun. I am my most relaxed when I am outside so ideally I'm eating a baked good in the sun watching a silly show :) To cope with stress I usually go on a walk or do a quick workout if I am super overwhelmed so my body can calm down after. I think what helps me most is talking to someone about how I'm feeling or just being with my friends and family.
Zach Linneman - Relationship Lead
Why are you passionate about your dimension of wellbeing?
The secret to life is that people are ultimately seeking positive emotions, which are best produced by giving of oneself to others and being in an interdependent community that seeks meaning and purpose together.
What is your educational background?
AB 2011 Chinese (Mandarin); 2018 Postbacc Certificate
What specialty/specialties are you interested in?
Pediatric Gastroenterology / Global Health Nutrition
What are your passions outside of medicine and medical school?
Cooking, Hosting, Reading, Joking, Writing
How do you relax / cope with stress?
Healthy Eating, Sleep, Exercise, Reading, Long Conversations, Music, Pet Cat
What's your favorite book, TV show, or movie?
30 Rock
Josh Levine - Health Co-Lead
What is your educational background?
Bachelors in Physiology with a minor in Philosophy from the University of Colorado - Boulder. EMT/IV trained
What specialty/specialties are you interested in?
Orthopedic trauma surgery
What are your passions outside of medicine and medical school?
Spending time with family and friends, staying active, being outdoors, snowboarding.
How do you relax / cope with stress?
I exercise and recently got into meditation.
What's your favorite book, TV show, or movie?
Rick and Morty / The Office
Aditi Kulkarni - Security Lead / Community Co-Lead
Why are you passionate about your dimension of wellbeing?
I think having a sense of security and community is essential to our success as students and future physicians!
How do you relax / cope with stress?
I like to work out, spend time with friends and family, and cook food. I am a big fan of procrasti-baking!
Madeleine Wagner Sherer - Health Co-Lead
Why are you passionate about your dimension of wellbeing?
Health/being healthy means so many different things to people which is so exciting! I hope to integrate healthy living into my practice as a physician, not just disease management. That requires learning what health means to lots of other people!
What is your educational background?
BA in Political Science
What specialty/specialties are you interested in?
Emergency Medicine
What are your passions outside of medicine and medical school?
Running - Currently training to qualify for the Boston Marathon
How do you relax / cope with stress?
I run with friends!
What's your favorite book, TV show, or movie?
First movie that comes to mind is Mad Max: Fury Road. Probably couldn't watch it everyday, but definitely one I keep going back to.
Olivia Gray - Environment Co-Lead
Why are you passionate about your dimension of wellbeing?
The environment has so much to offer for our wellness – mental, physical and spiritual. I believe it is our role to be informed about the state of our planet and do our best to preserve and better our environment for future generations to come.
What is your educational background?
I graduated undergrad with a degree in Biochemistry from Iowa State University in 2020.
What specialty/specialties are you interested in?
I am interested in pediatrics, psychiatry, and family medicine.
What are your passions outside of medicine and medical school?
I love adventuring outside, whether that be traveling, camping, hiking, canoeing, rollerblading, sitting on the patio at a brewery, or finding a nice place to catch some rays of sun. I live to experience new things and make memories along the way!
How do you relax / cope with stress?
My go-to coping mechanism is going for a run or walk. I have even gotten into mall walking during the colder months!
What's your favorite book, TV show, or movie?
Harry Potter books, and if I had to choose just one, The Order of the Phoenix
Kirsten Aspros - Secretary / Treasurer
Why are you passionate about your dimension of wellbeing?
Staying organized!
What is your educational background?
BS in Biochemistry from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN; PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
What specialty/specialties are you interested in?
Family medicine, OB/GYN, internal medicine, oncology.
What are your passions outside of medicine and medical school?
Traveling, watching movies, baking, spending time with my family and dog, playing piano.
How do you relax / cope with stress?
Make a list/get organized/plan out my day. This helps me realize that it will all go accordingly and brings the situation back into some control. If this doesn’t work, I take personal time (med school is pass/fail!) and especially try to get fresh air.
What's your favorite book, TV show, or movie?
Favorite Movie: Moulin Rouge!, Lord of the Rings, or any of the Avengers movies.
WBC Weekly Events and Resources Email
We highlight resources and upcoming/recurring events that are happening! These events are being organized from a variety of organizations within the University. We hope that having some resources at your fingertips will help to make it easier to have opportunities to connect and invest in wellness. The email is sent from various individuals who are a part of the WBC board, keep an eye out for the email and read at your pleasure. We would love feedback as well!
Do you have an upcoming event you would like shared in the weekly email? Do you have a helpful resource you would love to share? Please click on the "share resources for the WBC weekly email" button below!
Recurrent events/resources:
BeWELL is a wellness resource for the health sciences student community. They have many recurring events each week including Virtual PAWS and more! Check it out!
BeWELL, in partnership with the Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing, is offering health professional students the opportunity to work with a health coach for FREE. Check out the link for more information!
Mind-Body Workshop Series to Manage Anxiety & Difficult Emotions - Earl. E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing
The Wellbeing Committee is currently offering scholarships to students interested in participating in a three part mind-body workshop series offered by the Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing. You may participate in all three workshops, or just the workshop(s) you find most useful. Registration for each workshop will be sent out individually.
These workshops focus on equipping you with the tools necessary to manage difficult emotions such as anxiety. You will learn supportive practices to help restore calm, stabilize mood, and support focus. More detailed information regarding each workshop can be found here. With the scholarships provided by the Wellbeing Committee, you can join these workshops at no cost to you!
If interested, please register via this link. You will receive a follow-up email confirming your registration and containing a registration code to use to complete your registration via the WBC scholarship.
Mindful Mondays: A Mindful Approach to Stress Reduction (formerly Stressbusters)
Starting Jan 25th, 2021 from 12-1pm
"Join the University of Minnesota's Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing for an informal hour of meditation and light movement. Bakken Center Mindfulness and Wellbeing Instructor Mariann Johnson will guide you through exercises that will leave you feeling physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually rejuvenated."
Register here!
A mindful way to begin 2021: Online Community Offering: Mindful Moments
Mindful Moment sessions:
Starting Tuesday, Jan 5, the Integrative Psychiatry and Wellness Program will resume its free Mindful Moment webinars on Tuesday mornings from 8:45 to 9:00am. These 15-min experiential mindfulness and positive psychology virtual sessions teach stress-reduction skills and are available to all. You can find the zoom link, as well as more Wellbeing programming here.