Episode 36 – The Power of Peer Support for Care Team Members During COVID-19 – Jo Shapiro, MD

Jo Shapiro, MD, is an associate professor of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at Harvard Medical School. She is a senior faculty for the Center for Medical Simulation in Boston and a consultant for the Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Anesthesia, Pain and Critical Care.

In 2008, Dr. Shapiro founded the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Center for Professionalism and Peer Support where she served as the director for over 10 years. During that time the Center became a model for national and international institutions seeking methods to enhance a culture of trust and respect and improve clinician wellbeing. She continues to educate and assist organizations in developing specific programmatic and educational approaches such as peer support, professionalism initiatives, and wellbeing programs.

In this episode of the Caring Greatly^TM podcast, Dr. Shapiro shares insights into the value of peer support in a profession in which mental health support is still stigmatized. We delve into how peer support is critical to responding to the mental wellbeing needs of clinicians during COVID-19, in addition to providing critical infrastructure to help support rising awareness and the continued impact of racial inequity in healthcare.

Links related to Dr. Shapiro's podcast:

• Video: Promising Approaches to Reduce Burnout and Improving Well-Being
• Journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges: Peer Support for Clinicians: A Programmatic Approach
• Experience Innovation Network Research Paper: In Pursuit of Resilience, Well-Being, and Joy in Healthcare