Research Faculty Member, Dr. Jennifer Simkin, Promoted to Well-Being Officer for Orthopaedic Surgery; Joins Orthopaedic Leadership Team
Dr. Simkin is highly regarded for her contributions in the orthopaedic surgery research
department. In her new capacity as Well-Being Officer, Dr. Simkin aims to serve the
department to support the mental, emotional, and physical well-being of students,
faculty, staff, and immediate family members in order to promote the overall health
and effectiveness of the department and the LSUHSC-NO community. She will develop
and implement strategic initiatives to address well-being specific to the orthopaedic
environment. Dr. Simkin will work closely with LSU partner hospitals to identify opportunities
for learners and providers.
"We are pleased to welcome Dr. Jennifer Simkin into this new role. She is the perfect
fit and she possesses the necessary experience to provide exceptional support to all
staff, faculty, trainees, and students," says Dr. Robert Zura, Department Head.
Her areas of focus in a fast-paced surgical environment will include, but are not
limited to: burnout, dependency, sleep, and duty hours. She will leverage the services
provided by the Campus Assistance Program at LSU Health New Orleans, and manage an
annual budget to promote a healthy learning environment, stress reduction, and personal
well-being among faculty, staff, residents, and students in LSUHSC School of Medicine
and the Health Sciences Center.
"While not clinical, she is well versed in stressors present in the clinical learning
environment and well versed in the resources available to our team including CAP.
I know her learning curve will be steep in the next few months, but she will be excellent," says
Dr. Zura.