Â鶹ӳ»­

Ask Jennifer Bickel, M.D., about wellness, and you¡¯ll quickly learn that she doesn¡¯t think of it as a perk or a nice-to-have benefit that involves rolling out a yoga mat or an occasional visit to the gym. 

Bickel, a neurologist and experienced health care leader, joined UT MD Anderson as our inaugural chief wellness officer in January 2025. She arrived with a strong passion for tackling new challenges and bringing a unique perspective on strengthening our wellness culture.   

¡°As an academic physician, I have held many roles in education, research and clinical development where I was the first, so I think of wellness quite differently than others might,¡± she says. ¡°Wellness is at the core of how our brains function, and it is only now considered to be a relatively new field because the health care culture has kept us from realizing how important it really is.¡±  

Driven to support employees¡¯ mental health and well-being

As workforce wellness continues to shift into a public health priority, Bickel is focused on leading collaborative efforts and aligning strategies that enhance and support the mental health and well-being of all UT MD Anderson employees. Her leadership will also be integral in developing and launching a new Wellness and Mental Health Institute at UT MD Anderson.

¡°I was drawn to UT MD Anderson because of its mission and the extraordinary and impactful work that happens here each day,¡± says Bickel. ¡°I was also impressed by its leaders¡¯ vision to improve our workforce environment and use UT MD Anderson¡¯s talent and reputation to influence the way we deliver health care across the nation. It is an amazing opportunity, and I had to be a part of it.¡± 

Improving wellness to enhance patient care

Bickel shares that the strategic approach to wellness will: 

• implement evidence-based programs guided by literature and expert frameworks, 
• provide opportunities to showcase how mental and physical health is essentially brain health, 
• educate our workforce on risks like burnout that require tailored preventive and supportive strategies, and 
• ensure that wellness is prioritized in UT MD Anderson systems and decision-making so that our teams can deliver high-quality care to patients in a complex and ever-changing health care setting.  

¡°At the heart of our wellness goals is to ensure we are taking care of ourselves to improve the care we provide to others,¡± she says. ¡°Patients and families place their trust in us at a very vulnerable time in their lives, and prioritizing wellness enables us to provide the most compassionate and cutting-edge care and ultimately deliver a more enriching patient experience.¡± 

.