Sherry Chesak, PhD, MS, RN

Dr. Sherry Chesak is a Clinical Professor in the Population Health and Systems Cooperative Unit in the School of Nursing at the University of Minnesota. She is a recognized nurse leader and scientist who investigates resilience-promoting interventions for both professional and family caregivers. Her program of research is centered on care for the caregiver, and she primarily studies mindfulness-based interventions that promote resilience and mitigate stress among clinicians and family caregivers. She has led inter-disciplinary teams in the assessment of stress and burnout over time and identifying predictors of burnout. Dr. Chesak also has expertise in identifying best practices for promoting a sense of belonging among healthcare workers. Her research has been funded by the NIH, DoD, and several internal funding mechanisms. Her research foci areas include:

• Methods to measure stress and burnout among clinicians, and promote individual, team, and organizational resilience
• Integrative health interventions for promoting self-care and resilience among community-based family caregivers of patients with complex healthcare needs
• Best practices for engendering a sense of belonging among healthcare workers in diverse settings

PhD, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Major: Nursing

MS, Winona State University
Major: Nurse Educator 

BSN, Winona State University
Major: Nursing

• Registered Nurse, Minnesota Board of Nursing
• Mayo Clinic Quality Fellow: Silver Certification

• Dahlberg Visiting Scholar Award, Gundersen Medical Foundation, 2022
• Mayo Clinic Proceedings outstanding “limelight” article of 2021: Chesak SS, Yngve KC, Taylor JM, Voth ER, Bhagra A. Challenges and solutions for physician mothers: a critical review of the literature. Mayo Clin Proc. 2021; 96(6). doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2020.10.008
• Trainee Outstanding Poster Award, International Society for Complementary Medicine Research, 2014
• Sigma Theta Tau International, Honor Society of Nursing, 2011

• Society for Simulation in Healthcare
• Minnesota Holistic Nurses Association
• American Association of Colleges of Nursing Leadership, Resilience, and Well-Being, Advisory Board Member

Wilton, A. R., Sheffield, K., Wilkes, Q., Chesak, S., Pacyna, J., Sharp, R., Croarkin, P. E., Chauhan, M., Dyrbye, L. N., Bobo, W. V., & Athreya, A. P. (2024). The Burnout PRedictiOn Using Wearable aNd ArtIficial IntelligEnce (BROWNIE) study: A decentralized digital health protocol to predict burnout in registered nurses. BMC Nursing, 23(1), 114. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-01711-8

Souza-Talarico, J. N., Chesak, S., Elizalde, N., Liu, W., Moon, C., Oberfrank, N. D. C. F., Rauer, A. J., Takao, C. L., Shaw, C., Saravanan, A., Longhi Palacio, F. G., & Buck, H. (2024). Exploring the interplay of psychological and biological components of stress response and telomere length in the transition from middle age to late adulthood: A systematic review. Stress and health: Journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress, 40(4), e3389. https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.3389

Chesak, S. S., Dose, A. M., Mandrekar, J., James, D., Pachman, D., Cutshall, S., Fuehrer, D. L., & Sood, A. (2023). Outcomes of a Stress Management and Resilience Training (SMART) program for family caregivers of individuals with advanced head and neck cancer. Oncology Nursing Forum, 50(1), 6-18. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1188/23.ONF.6-18

Chesak, S. S., Rhudy, L. M., Tofthagen, C., & Chlan, L. L. (2022). A practice-based model to guide nursing science and improve the health and well-being of patients and caregivers. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 31(3-4), 445-453. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.15837

Chesak, S. S., Salinas, M., Abraham, H., Harris, C. E., Carey, E. C., Khalsa, T., Mauck, K. F., Feely, M., Licatino, L., Moeschler, S., & Bhagra, A. (2022). Experiences of gender inequity among women physicians across career stages: Findings from participant focus groups. Women's Health Reports, 3(1), 359-368. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/whr.2021.0051

Tofthagen, C., Chesak, S., Rhudy, L., Krecke, C., & Gaugler, J. E. (2021). Informational gaps, needs, and preferences of adults with chronic health conditions and their family caregivers. Journal of Ambulatory Care Management, 44(2), 101-115. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/JAC.0000000000000371

Chesak, S. S., Morin, K. H., Cutshall, S. M., Jenkins, S. M., & Sood, A. (2021). Feasibility and efficacy of integrating resiliency training into a pilot nurse residency program. Nurse Education in Practice, 50, 102959.  DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2020.102959

Croghan, I. T., Chesak, S. S., Adusumalli. J., Fischer, K. M., Beck, E. W., Patel, S. R., Ghosh, K., Schroeder, D. R., & Bhagra, A. (2021). Stress, resilience, and coping of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 12, 21501327211008448.  DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/21501327211008448

Joseph, J., Dao, D., Hwang, S. M., Dotzler, S. M., Chesak, S. S., Weiskittel, T. M., Lang, M. E., Melo, V. D., Anderson, J. B., Vega, B., Englund, M., Boruch, P. M., & Bhagra, A. (2021). Perceptions of barriers and facilitators to becoming a medical professional among underrepresented undergraduate and postbaccalaureate learners. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Innovations, Quality & Outcomes, 5(2), 347-358. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2021.01.003

Chesak, S. S., Yngve, K. C., Taylor, J. M., Voth, E. R., & Bhagra A. (2021). Challenges and solutions for physician mothers: A critical review of the literature. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 96(6), 1578-1591.  DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2020.10.008

Sood, A., & Chesak, S. S. "Creative Methods to Build a Positive Relationship with Oneself," National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists Conference, Minnesota Affiliate. (October 2024). Invited. 

Chesak, S. S. "A Mindful Approach to Cultivating Belonging among Clinicians and Learners," Kern National Network for Flourishing in Medicine Conference, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (September 2024). 

Chesak, S. S. "Outcomes of A Mindful Approach to Building a Resilient Healthcare Workforce (RENEW) Program," Mayo Clinic Care Network Webinar. (September 2024). Invited.

Chesak, S. S. "Flourishing in Healthcare: Setting Intentions for Individual, Team, and System Resilience," American Holistic Nurses Association Conference, Rochester, MN. (June 2024). Invited. 

Chesak, S. S., & Pipe, T. "Flourishing in Health Care: Building Individual, Team, and System Resilience," American Association of Colleges of Nursing Transform 2023 Conference, Lake Buena Vista, FL. (December 2023). Invited.

Chesak, S. S. "Care for the Caregiver: Evidence-Based Methods for Engendering Resilience Among Professional and Family Caregivers,"  Mayo Clinic Palliative Care Conference, Rochester, MN. (November 2023). Invited.

Chesak, S. S. "Authentic Connections: A Key Support for Mental Health," Hormel Foods World Mental Health Day. (October 2023). Invited.

Chesak, S. S. "Excellence in Academic Nursing: A Focus on Well-Being in Schools of Nursing," American Association of Colleges of Nursing Thought Leaders Assembly, Vail, CO. (2022). Invited.

Chesak, S. S. "Resiliency & Self Care," Primary Care Nursing 2022 CNE Conference, Baraboo, WI. (2022). Invited.

Chesak, S. S. "Microaggressions, Stereotype Threat, and Impostor Syndrome: Coaching," Mayo Clinic RISE for Equity Conference, Chicago, IL. (2022). Invited.

Award: A Cluster-Randomized Control Trial of a Workplace Resilience Intervention for Child Care Providers' Mental Health & Well-Being
Principal Investigator: Chesak, S. S.
Sponsoring Organization: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NIH
Award Dates: 2024 - 2029

Award: SCH: Wearable Augmented Prediction of Burnout in Nurses: A Synergy of Engineering, Bioethics, Nursing
Principal Investigator: Athreya, Arjun
Sponsoring Organization: NIH National Institute of Nursing Research
Award Dates: 2022 - 2026

Award: Designing and Evaluating a Comprehensive Support Program for Families Caring for Relatives Living with TBI-AD/ADRD
Principal Investigator: Gaugler, Joseph
Sponsoring Organization: U.S. Department of Defense
Award Dates: 2022 - 2024

Award: Evaluating the Impact of a Family Caregiver Support and Resource Program on Respect, Compassion, Integrity and Stewardship
Principal Investigator: Griffin
Sponsoring Organization: Mayo Clinic Values Council 
Award Dates: 2022 - 2023

Award: Feasibility and Acceptability of Virtual Dignity Therapy for Palliative Care Patients with Advanced Cancer
Principal Investigator: Pachman
Sponsoring Organization: Mayo Clinic Values Council 
Award Dates: 2021 - 2022

Award: Resilient Living Program for Patients with Advanced Cancer and Their Caregivers
Principal Investigator: Pachman
Sponsoring Organization: Mayo Clinic Benefactor Award
Award Dates: 2019 - 2021