The Art of Introducing Mindfulness into Medical and Allied Health Curricula

Drawing on decades of experience since the early 1990s, the author shares practical insights and lessons from teaching mindfulness as a core part of the medical curriculum at Monash University. The article outlines a mindfulness-based lifestyle program delivered to entire cohorts of medical students, covering preparation, integration, delivery, and review. Evaluations over many years indicate high acceptance and use of mindfulness-based skills by students. The author argues that mindfulness can be successfully integrated into core curricula for medical and allied health students as a meta-skill to support wellbeing and clinical competencies.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Abstract Objectives Mindfulness is now widely used therapeutically in health settings, but for a range of reasons, it is not commonly integrated into the education of health professionals. This article aims to share practical insights and lessons learned from teaching mindfulness as core curriculum to the whole cohorts of medical students at Monash University. Methods This reflective article will provide a personal perspective drawing on many years’ experience since the early 1990s of integrating mindfulness into the core medical curriculum including outlining the mindfulness-based lifestyle program delivered to the medical students. This will provide a backdrop to sharing important lessons relating to preparation, integration, delivery and review of mindfulness curriculum. A range of practical issues will be explored including making the case for it to faculty, finding the right language, giving it a context and rationale, using the most conducive teaching style, having the right tutors, carefully dealing with resistance, finding appropriate methods of assessment and the importance of review. Results Evaluations and feedback on the program over a number of years have shown a high level of acceptance and utilisation of mindfulness-based skills by students. Since its inception, mindfulness training has now become integral in the training of many other health professional students at Monash. Conclusions If done effectively, mindfulness can be successfully introduced and integrated into core curriculum of medical and allied health students using it as a meta-skill to support the development of student wellbeing a range of important clinical competencies.