The Physician Wellness Research (PWR) Lab is funded through a grant from HCA Healthcare, a national hospital organization with X locations. Directed by Dr. Jason Siegel and managed by PhD students Sarbina Menezes, MA, and Alex Marshburn, MA, a team of graduate students at Claremont Graduate University conducted research on physician wellness and burnout, resulting in numerous publications and presentations of scholarly works (sample publications referenced below).

The work conducted by the PWR lab in collaboration with HCA Healthcare is heavily inspired by self-determination theory (e.g., cite), the job demands-resources model (e.g., cite), models of well-being (e.g., cite), and various other social-psychological theories (e.g., cite). For example, explain a study.

Beyond academic research, the lab conducts a yearly survey of all incoming resident physicians to assess their well-being; conducts an exit survey; assists in workshops and the communication of scientific findings to hospital administrators, chief wellness officers, and other stakeholders; offers theoretical guidance, and additionally consults on survey design, literature review, and data analysis for the organization.

Relevant Publications:

*indicates the author was a student at the time the research was conducted.

Liu, X.*, Falco, C. M.*, Gulnder, G., Siegel, J. T. (2025). Psychometric properties of the Flourish Index and Secure Flourish Index in healthcare settings. Assessment. Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/10731911241310312

Siegel, J. T., Ellis, B.*, Riazi, G.*, Brafford, A.*, Guldner, G., & Wells, J. C. (2024). The paradox of the resident experiencing depression: Higher depression, less favorable help-seeking outcome expectations, and lower help-seeking intentions. Social Science and Medicine, 344(6), Article 116593.

Guldner, G., Siegel, J. T., Broadbent, C., Ayutyanont, N., Streletz, D. Popa, A., Fuller, J., & Sisemore, T. (2024). Use of an opt-out vs. opt-in strategy for residency mental health services increases resident use. Journal of Graduate Medical Education, 16(20), 195–201. https://doi.org/10.4300/JGME-D-23-00460.1

Brafford, A. M.*, Ellis, B.*, Guldner, G., Riazi, G.*, Liu, X.*, Wells, J. C, & Siegel, J. T. (2024). A multi-wave study of factors associated with resident engagement, depression, burnout, and stay intent. HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine, 5(3), 312–330. https://doi.org/10.36518/2689-0216.1837

Marshburn, A. W.*, Riazi, G.*, Menezes, S.*, Ramirez, S.*, Guldner, G. Wells, J. C. & Siegel, J. T. (2024). A nation-wide survey of program directors at a large health care organization: Prevalence and perceptions of resident wellness activities. HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine, 5(3), 251–263.https://doi.org/10.36518/2689-0216.1808

MenezesM.*, Carpenter, K. M.*, Marshburn, A. W.*, Ramirez, S.*, Guldner, G., Wells, J. C., & Siegel, J. T. (2024). A qualitative follow-up to a survey of program directors on wellness programming at a large healthcare organization: Interviews of high- and low-exemplar programs. HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine, 5(3), 265–284. https://doi.org/10.36518/2689-0216.1807

Guldner, G., Wells, J., Ayutyanont, N., Iyengar, R., Sprenger, S., Siegel, J. T., & Kashyap, R. (2023). COVID-19 related disruptions to medical education and perceived clinical capability of new resident physicians: a nationwide study of over 1200 first-year residents. Medical Education Online, 28(1), Article 2143307. https://doi.org/10.1080/10872981.2022.2143307

Guldner, G. T., Roozendaal, S. M., Berkeley, R. P., Allswede, M. P., Domanski, K. H., Sairafe, O. M., Davey, D. F., Abou-Ziab, H., & Siegel, J. T. (2022). Impact of the Las Vegas mass shooting event on the graduate medical education mission: Can there be growth from tragedy? The Western Journal of Emergency Medicine, 24(2), 249–258. https://doi.org/10.5811/westjem.2022.9.56221