Iris Mushin is the founder of the MedRAP Program, which she implemented and directed at BCM for 25 years. She developed the program as an MBA candidate while her husband was completing his surgical training at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM). Her goal in designing this program was to improve the well-being and resilience of medical residents and address their stress and burnout by creating a positive clinical learning environment.

In 1993, Iris published a landmark article about the MedRAP program, which she initiated in 1988, more than 10 years before any ACGME requirements were developed and mandated. In 2018, Iris published the book What Hurts the Physician Hurts the Patient MedRAP: A Comprehensive Approach to Improving Physician Training, Professional Development and Well-Being, which presented the theoretical foundation for MedRAP’s approach, accompanied by a facilitator manual. Her new initiative is this interactive web book, Helping Clinicians Help Patients: Facilitating the Transition to the Clinical Learning Environment. The web book presents a structured approach to a program that addresses the needs of all healthcare clinicians who are in training and in the process of transitioning into the clinical work environment. Today, despite significant changes instituted by medical programs and various accreditation committees, stress and burnout are on the rise, and the well-being and resilience of clinicians continues to be a public health issue—even more so now in light of the COVID-19 experience. It is the author’s hope that this new program can help improve the well-being and resilience of healthcare clinicians in training and serve as a positive force for change in medical education and training hospitals.

Interactive Web Book: 2022, Helping Clinicians Help Patients: Facilitating the Transition to the Clinical Learning Environment >
Article: March 22, 1993, Developing a Resident Assistance Program >
Book: 2018, What Hurts the Physician Hurts the Patient >

Anoop Agrawal, M.D, is an associate professor at Baylor College of Medicine. He has been serving as Program Director for the combined Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Residency Program since 2014. Previously, he served as the residents’ Continuity Clinic Director in the program for almost a decade, overseeing the ambulatory curriculum and clinic operations. Dr. Agrawal also serves on the Graduate Medical Education Executive Committee and has played a key role in the GME CLER Taskforce. He continues to provide patient care in multiple roles, including as an academic hospitalist and clinic preceptor for medical residents. His passion is in faculty development and the integration of technology into medical education and well-being for the physician. He was selected as an Apple Distinguished Educator in 2015 for his innovations in developing best practices for utilizing mobile tablets in bedside teaching. He has been invited to share his work at numerous national and regional meetings, including the ACGME, AAMC, Society of Hospital Medicine and many others.

Dr. Agrawal completed his medical residency in the combined Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Program at Baylor College of Medicine and received his medical degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine.

Dr. Agrawal went through the MedRAP program as an intern and served as a group leader for three years. He continued collaborating with Iris in his role as chief resident and as program director in the Medicine Pediatric program at Baylor College of Medicine. [See testimonial]