Mindfulness in Medical School

Pandruvada, Swati; McMaster, Thomas; Shah, Shivam; Dowling, Jamie L; Williams, Kristi Skeel; Worth, Randall G.; Lewis, Chandani

<p>Abstract: Intro: Physician and trainee burnout is an important discussion in medical education. One way to combat burnout is mindfulness-based practice, which has demonstrated effectiveness in reducing burnout in physicians. In our study we surveyed mindfulness techniques among medical students with specific attention to use of mindfulness apps. Methods: A comprehensive survey of medical students was conducted 5 times annually over two academic years. Responses were analyzed to determine how many students reported using mindfulness apps or other mindfulness strategies, and how many minutes per week the apps were used (distinguished by sex and year in medical school). Results: From 1607 responses received, 16% reported using an app for mindfulness, and 60.3% reported using other mindfulness strategies. Eighteen percent of females and 14.3% of males reported using an app-based mindfulness intervention. The percentage of mindfulness app usage by year of medical school (M1, M2, M3, M4) is 16.1%, 20.8%, 13%, and 15.9% respectively. Discussion: Our research indicates that mindfulness apps are not a popular method of stress management. Another study that analyzed an online mindfulness intervention as a wellness tool for medical students found poor adherence and no change in burnout from baseline. While there may be benefits to mindfulness apps, it may be more beneficial to collaborate with students to learn their preferred forms of mindfulness to mitigate stress and burnout.</p>

Mindfulness in Medical School Conference Poster (Faculty180)