Five Practical Video Modules to Reduce Physician Burnout Through Mindfulness and Systematic Review of Evidence
Panthea Pouramin, Ruby Taylor, Noah S. Llaneras, Aditi Sivakumar, Ethan Blum, Clare Ridley, Susan E. Mackinnon, Md, Facs, Frcsc, Emily M. Krauss, Md, MSc, Frcsc
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Global Open August 26, 2025 DOI: 10.1097/gox.0000000000006878 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Physicians and medical trainees |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Mindfulness interventions reduce burnout and stress among physicians and trainees, based on a systematic review of 32 randomized controlled trials. |
Abstract
Summary:. Burnout, characterized as depersonalization, emotional exhaustion, and a sense of reduced personal efficacy, is an ongoing problem faced by surgeons and medical trainees at all levels of training. Increasing evidence suggests that mindfulness interventions are effective in reducing burnout and stress among healthcare providers. With a goal to build our own programs, we sought to evaluate the evidence on mindfulness interventions among physicians and trainees. What we found went beyond a systematic review and has advanced our practices to a larger understanding of the interconnectivity between mindfulness, meditation, emotional intelligence, and leadership. In this article, we outline mindfulness and published interventions including their efficacy in reducing physician burnout and stress through a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (32 trials published between 2011 and 2023). In 4 distinct modules including 5 supplemental video modules, concepts that promote mindfulness are reviewed, providing a foundation for a mindfulness practice. These video modules include: (1) what mindfulness and meditation are, (2) a 5-minute meditation, (3) the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching energy leadership strategy, (4) building resilience through emotional intelligence, and (5) translating mindfulness into practice. This special topic aimed to open the conversation among plastic surgeons about burnout and the role that mindfulness can have to reduce its negative effects on our practices and our lives.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being Diverse adult clinical populations | 2014 | Meta-analysis | n = 3,515 |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy subjects | 2009 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Nonclinical groups of adult meditators | 2012 | Meta-analysis | n = 163 |
| Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse Adults with recurrent depression in full or partial remission | 2016 | Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials | n = 1,258 |
| Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials | 2011 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cites 16
- Improving stress management, anxiety, and mental well-being in medical students through an online Mindfulness-Based Intervention: a randomized study. Scientific Reports May 22, 2023
- A compassion-based program to reduce psychological distress in medical students: A pilot randomized clinical trial PLoS One June 23, 2023
- The effectiveness of mindfulness training in improving medical students' stress, depression, and anxiety. PLoS One 2023
- Mindfulness-based interventions for improving mental health of frontline healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review. Systematic Reviews June 20, 2024
- Mindfulness Applications: Can They Serve as a Stress, Anxiety, and Burnout Reduction Tool in Orthopaedic Surgery Training? A Randomized Control Trial. JB & JS open access July 25, 2023
and 11 more in the library