A sense of community and social connectedness are essential elements of every person’s well-being. Social wellness includes a sense of connection, belonging, and a well-developed support system. At the Icahn School, we support all of the above through a number of initiatives: student affinity groups and mentorship opportunities, our CIRCLES group sessions for third-year medical students, the student-facilitated PEERS curriculum, and by ongoing community-building events.

Psychological wellness, which includes our emotional and mental well-being, involves cultivating a sense of awareness and curiosity towards the full spectrum of feelings and experiences. Effectively coping with challenges, tapping into our inherent resilience, and creating worthwhile life experiences are key components of psychological wellness. The Office of Medical Student Affairs supports your psychological wellness through unlimited visits to the Student and Trainee Mental Health Program, the Wellness Advisor Program, free access to the CALM app, and 24/7 access to counseling and a crisis phone line. Our student-facilitated PEERS curriculum also supports psychological wellness, as does our partnership with the Office for Disability Services. We additionally work to address mental health stigma through an ongoing de-stigmatization campaign.

Physical wellness is cultivated by consistently engaging in physical activities, developing conscious eating habits, and supporting sleep habits that optimize our overall well-being. Our physical health often supports other dimensions of wellness and enhances our ability to minimize illness, injury, or chronic health conditions.

At the Icahn School, we support your physical wellness through a free membership to 92nd Street Y, access to gym and yoga spaces, and through our student nutrition club. We also offer a Nexus course students may take with certified nutritionists, access to our on-campus food pantry, and free wellness items in our on-campus vending machine. Our collaboration with Student Health and the Office for Disability Services further supports our efforts to enhance the physical well-being of our students.

Engaging in creative pursuits, maintaining an openness to new experiences, and developing an ethos of being a life-long learner are essential elements of sustaining our intellectual wellness. At the Icahn School, we foster intellectual wellness through academic counseling programming as well as access to several study spaces throughout campus. The Office for Disability Services also serves as a key partner in our efforts to cultivate intellectual student well-being.

Vocational wellness includes developing a sense of mastery and competency in our work, learning to create a sustainable integration between our personal and professional lives, and feeling personal satisfaction and fulfillment from our work throughout medical school and beyond. The Office for Medical Student Affairs supports your occupational wellness primarily through our Career and Professional Development programming and opportunities.

Our external world affects our sense of well-being, and the School intentionally creates and protects spaces that enhance our sense of wellness. We offer housing to every student, as well as study spaces and a student lounge. Our campus is also close to Central Park.

Connecting with a sense of purpose and/or something larger helps us make meaning of our experiences. It also helps us engage in values-driven actions and develop our sense of morals and ethics, all of which are key components of spiritual wellness. This dimension of wellness may or may not involve religious activities. At the Icahn School, we support your spiritual wellness through student affinity groups, prayer spaces, and by supporting students connecting with our Chaplaincy Services.

Financial wellness involves establishing informed financial goals, developing effective money management skills, cultivating a sense of satisfaction with current financial situations, and knowing when and how to access resources when faced with financial hardships. In our ongoing partnership with the Office of Student Financial Services, we support students in this critical dimension of well-being.