The aim of the Financial Literacy and Resilience Education certificate program is to increase financial literacy among medical students. We focus on topics that range from budgeting and cash flow to investing and interacting with the financial industry.   

This financial literacy is important due to the fact that we know student loan debt burden and a lack of financial literacy lead to many life choices including which specialty students choose, when to start a family, and where to pursue their training. We also know that people with higher rates of debt are more apt to die by suicide and be burned out.   

Any fourth-year medical student is welcome to enroll.  Partners of the students are also encouraged to attend and participate.

Given the above information, it can be ascertained that increasing financial literacy “promotes better health for all” as we know that physicians provide the best care for patients when they take care of themselves first.  No one can pour from an empty cup. 

Program Objectives

  • Learners will have a notable improvement in their financial literacy as evidenced by self-assessment via both independent lectures and overall feedback of the program at its conclusion.
  • Students will be able to describe the various kinds of professionals they may interact with in the realm of personal finance, including in particular fee-only versus fee-based financial advisors & the difference between employed versus truly independent insurance agents – and the importance of knowing these distinctions.
  • Students will be able to demonstrate and describe a proper understanding of basic investing principles.

Certificate Requirements

FLARE is conducted from January to March so that the interview season is avoided as much as possible.  It is a 10-week curriculum that involves office hours for 1 hour before each lecture for any questions students might have and 1 hour of lecture once each week.  So, a total of 10 hours of elective Q&A participation, and 10 hours of class time.   

The times mentioned above do not count the outside-the-classroom assignments that are given to the students.   

Questions? Contact James Turner, MD at jturner@wakehealth.edu