OUR MISSION
Built to redefine how physicians experience support.
Physician burnout is not new — but the solutions have long been misaligned. Generic programs, anonymous hotlines, and mandatory check-ins fail to reflect the real pressures physicians face daily.
Buddies Space exists to change that.
“We create a safe, confidential environment where physicians at every stage can access meaningful peer connection, professional guidance, and career support — designed for real life, not theory.”
                                                 -From Dr. Alaa, Founder
Support shouldn’t come after burnout.
It should be early, consistent, and on their terms.
We believe that when physicians feel supported, patient care improves.
Everything we build starts from that belief.
Physician burnout is not new — but the solutions have long been misaligned. Generic programs, anonymous hotlines, and mandatory check-ins fail to reflect the real pressures physicians face daily.
Buddies Space exists to change that.
“We create a safe, confidential environment where physicians at every stage can access meaningful peer connection, professional guidance, and career support — designed for real life, not theory.”
                                                 -From Dr. Alaa, Founder
Support shouldn’t come after burnout.
It should be early, consistent, and on their terms.
We believe that when physicians feel supported, patient care improves.
Everything we build starts from that belief.
OUR STORY
Buddies Space was founded by Dr. Alaa Elnajjar, a child and adolescent psychiatrist who experienced burnout firsthand. Even with clinical awareness, navigating it alone proved difficult.
What made the difference wasn’t knowledge — it was connection. Conversations with physicians who had lived through similar challenges created real relief and perspective.
                          “If peer support works, why is access to it still optional in medicine?”
That question became the foundation of Buddies Space.
In 2023, the platform was piloted at Brown University Health in collaboration with the Wellbeing Office and the Office of Graduate Medical Education.
Buddies Space was built to make support accessible to every physician — from medical students to attendings — not as a perk, but as a standard.
What made the difference wasn’t knowledge — it was connection. Conversations with physicians who had lived through similar challenges created real relief and perspective.
                          “If peer support works, why is access to it still optional in medicine?”
That question became the foundation of Buddies Space.
In 2023, the platform was piloted at Brown University Health in collaboration with the Wellbeing Office and the Office of Graduate Medical Education.
Buddies Space was built to make support accessible to every physician — from medical students to attendings — not as a perk, but as a standard.
OUR TEAM
Founder:
Alaa Elnajjar, MD
( Psychiatrist, MD )
Mental Wellbeing experts:
Haillie Riggs, LICSW
( Mental Health Clinician )
Kelly Holder
( Brand & Communications Consultant )
Advisory Board :
Phillip Phan MD
(Clinical Advisor )
Consultants:
Rana Mouawad
( Brand & Communications Consultant )
Kellie Carlson
( UX Designer )
Interns:
Mahmoud El Rouby
( Software developer )
Ramaswamy Sundararajan
( Match applicant and researcher )
Built by a physician
who has been there
who has been there
“COVID-19 left a lasting mark on me—and on every clinician I know. The emotional toll felt, at times, like what we hear from those returning from war: relentless, overwhelming, and hard to carry alone.
We created Buddies Space because burnout in healthcare didn’t just rise during the pandemic—it deepened. What was missing was a safe, trusted space where clinicians could support one another, speak openly, and remind each other: we will get through this together.”
— Alaa, Founder
We created Buddies Space because burnout in healthcare didn’t just rise during the pandemic—it deepened. What was missing was a safe, trusted space where clinicians could support one another, speak openly, and remind each other: we will get through this together.”
— Alaa, Founder
OUR PARTNERS & SPONSORS
BuddieSpace is proud to work alongside organizations that share our commitment to physician wellbeing.
