The stress of residency is nothing new, but with 42% of residents saying they’re burned out with high emotional exhaustion, what’s changing is how leaders can respond.

When Harvard South Shore (HSS) Psychiatry Residency began rethinking its approach to resident mental health, the goal wasn’t to add another benefit or box to check. The goal was to build something residents would actually use, that worked on their schedule, respected their privacy, and understood the demands of clinical training.

They partnered with Marvin Behavioral Health to make that happen. 
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Residents engaged, and kept showing up

In a field where stigma, time constraints, and poor access often keep residents from getting help, the HSS program saw something different. Residents booked care, and kept coming back. On average, they attended 23 sessions. That’s not a one-time check-in—it’s meaningful, sustained support.

Engagement reached 85%, far above the national average for mental health benefits in healthcare. And over 93% of residents who used Marvin reported improvement in their symptoms.
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Why it worked

The design was simple, but intentional. Residents could book sessions seven days a week, including evenings and on weekends. They didn’t need a referral, and they were matched with therapists who understood the pressures of healthcare. And they knew from the start that their care was confidential.

That combination of access, fit, and trust changed everything.
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A program that didn’t feel like a program

What set HSS’s approach apart wasn’t just the logistics. It was the cultural shift it enabled. Residents began to treat mental health support not as a last resort, but as a professional tool. Something to help them stay steady through the chaos, not something to hide when things got bad.

By making it normal, easy, and clinically relevant, Marvin helped normalize the idea that resilience isn’t something residents are born with. It’s something they can build with the right support.
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Your program could be next

What Harvard South Shore achieved isn’t out of reach. Residency programs across the country are now being asked to provide accessible, confidential mental health care, and the ACGME mandate only raises the stakes.

Marvin is already working with programs like yours to bring this kind of support to residents. If you want to learn more, or see how it might work in your system, [talk to our team].

We’ll show you what’s possible when residents are given the care they deserve.
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>> Meet with our team

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