Le Well December 15, 2025 Newsletter

Our mission is to provide centralized services to support SOM students and others involved in the healthcare learning environment.  Check out our website.

Support and Connection

There can be many triggers for a wide variety of emotions.  Perhaps we are facing joyful or grief-filled personal circumstances.  Maybe we are experiencing deeply impactful events in the clinical setting.  Sometimes many factors conspire and feel overwhelming.  It can be hard to find dedicated time to process experiences.  Recognizing commonalities in the human experience with peers, staff, supervisors and faculty can help, as can taking a moment to breathe.  Thank you for everything you do to improve the clinical and learning environment.

Please reach out to lewb@duke.edu if we can help with informal or formal support.

Promoting Shared Humanity - Le Well Highlights from Last Week

The Imperfection Sessions 

Imposter Syndrome

Two dozen students from a variety of School of Medicine programs gathered via Zoom for an Imperfection Session faculty panel on December 11 on the topic of "The Imposter Syndrome."  Defined by moderator, Imperfection Session founder and expert on shame competency Dr. Will Bynum as "the persistent inability to recognize your success is deserved or achieved despite evidence to the contrary," imposter syndrome can be accompanied by feelings of shame and isolation.  Panelists Drs. Tiffany Hilton, Dr. Elizabeth Malinzak and Dr. Len White shared deeply and authentically conveyed key lessons.  Among them?  In addition to recognizing that even esteemed faculty members are human, participants learned:

• It is not possible to know what someone's inner experience is by observing the outside. 

• Meaning and purpose are present (and can be found) in struggle.  

• Allies, mentors and sponsors can be valuable sources of human connection, honest feedback, growth, and support.  

The Great Give

MedEd IT's Vanessa Weber had an idea, and along with Le Well's Jashi Abhirajan, spearheaded a collaboration between MedEd IT, Le Well, the Medical Center Library and IPEC...and The Great Give was born!  Weber, Abhirajan and IPEC's Zakyya Kenny planned and implemented the School of Medicine's first-annual Great Give with help from student, staff and faculty volunteers.  After two weeks of soliciting and accepting donations from faculty, staff and students, the team created a display of a large assortment of household goods, accessories, books and other items for students to take.  

At least 150 students stopped by to snack, browse the assorted items, and spend time together in the spirit of mutual support and giving.  Many thanks to all who donated, volunteered, and stopped by!

Resources for Health and Well-Being 

• Well-Being Navigator: Jeanine Bandini, LCSW, is part of the Le Well team and has a specific mission to connect SoM students with helpful resources to help them thrive; schedule a meeting here

• CAPS @ Le Well: Counseling and psychological services in Trent Semans Center - 919-660-1000 to schedule an appointment (specify that you are a student linked to Le Well / SOM)

• Duke Counseling & Psychological Services: Wellness Center on the University campus - 919-660-1000 to schedule an appointment or walk in M-F 9-4

• Timely Care: 24/7 telehealth mental health services

• Duke Student Health: Offers a wide range of healthcare services for all Duke students, many of which are covered by the student health fee, including video visits for quick, convenient care:

• Student Health offers video visits so you can speak directly with a medical provider from your own device. To use this service, you’ll need a My Duke Health account, must be in North Carolina, and should use Google Chrome or Firefox.

• Video visits are available for acne, anxiety/depression, birth control, HIV PrEP, medication refills, referral requests, respiratory illnesses, smoking cessation, STI screening, and UTIs (female). To schedule, call the Triage Nurses at 919-681-9355 (Option 2).

  If you’re new to Student Health, you can also schedule a “Welcome to Student Health” video visit. This introductory appointment allows a provider to update your medical record, review screening guidelines, discuss healthy habits, and help you understand available services. It’s an easy way to establish your care with Student Health and feel more comfortable navigating your healthcare. To schedule, call 919-681-9355 and request this visit.

• Suicide & Crisis Lifeline - call or text 988  

• Peer Support Collective: 

  • SoM students are invited to engage 1:1 with psychology interns to provide mutual support  

  • Now Recruiting interested students to become interprofessional group peer supporters 

• Student Accessibility Services: Partners with students with disabilities to establish services for their access and inclusion on campus

• Identity, Culture and Religion: Centers that provide education, advocacy, and support for students

• Senior Associate Dean of International Students:  Responsible for advising, supporting, and advocating for the needs of international students and scholars at Duke University 

• Duke Chapel & Religious Life at Duke: Convenes, supports, and advocates for all  of the officially recognized Religious Life groups on campus that serve students

• Community Pantry: Provides access to nutritious food. Sponsored by Graduate and Professional Student Government

• Office of Financial Aid and Student Financial Planning: Maintains up-to-the-minute knowledge and provides support and advocacy concerning student financial aid and financial planning matters  

Students are welcome to access the University-Wide Strategic Realignment site, designed and maintained in an effort to inform the community of future steps in its university-wide strategic realignment.  Additional information can also be found at the SOM intranet site.

Have you experienced mistreatment? Wanting to talk about it? Wondering how best to proceed? 

Please reach out to jane.gagliardi@duke.edu and/or submit a report through the Adverse Events Reporting System.  

THIS WEEK @ LE WELL