In case you missed last week’s Webcast Audio Seminar (WAS) Session, here are the highlights of this session:
The Imperative for Incorporating Mind-Body Medicine in Health Professions Education
Aviad Haramati PhD
Georgetown University School of Medicine
Summary:
- There is abundant evidence in the literature underscoring the prevalence and impact of physician burnout.
- Physician burnout is a serious issue that is preceded by declines in empathy and well-being in medical school.
- Medical schools have a responsibility to prepare graduates for the rigors of the medical profession through curricular interventions that help to manage stress, foster empathy and build resilience. Mind-Body Medicine is one such approach. These interventions need to be fully integrated into the institutional culture.
- Practicing mindfulness can reduce burnout and increase empathy by modulating the physiologic stress response to help individuals “de-stress” and bring their stress hormones back to baseline.
- Mind-Body therapies include the following: Meditation, Imagery, Biofeedback, Self-Hypnosis, Breathing Techniques, Exercise, Yoga/Tai Chi and Group Support.
- Georgetown University instituted a voluntary Mind-Body Medicine program for medical students which utilizes a skills development platform that is designed to cultivate self-awareness, self-care and personal growth. Key components of this Mind-Body Medicine intervention include: fostering engagement by faculty and medical students, non-marginalization of Mind- Body participants, maintenance of confidentiality and group support. Data collected indicate that an increase in mindfulness correlates with a decrease in perceived stress. For further information about this program, contact Dr. Haramati at haramati@georgetown.edu.
- Mindful practice and enhancing self-consciousness, self-care and a sense of meaning in work are elements that need to be actively integrated into the curriculum and culture at academic health centers.
- Burnout is an issue that extends across all health professions. It is an issue that needs to be taken seriously with the understanding that the status quo is not acceptable.
For more information on the final session or to register, please click here.