Feasibility, acceptability and effect of the Mindful Practice curriculum in postgraduate training of general practitioners.
Manuel Villarreal, Petra Hanson, Amy Clarke, Majid Khan, Jeremy Dale
BMC Medical Education June 7, 2021 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-021-02747-z (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Feasibility study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 17 |
| Population | Early career general practice trainees (vocational training) |
| Duration | 6-session course; 6-week pre-course baseline period |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Feasibility studies Burnout, professional Curriculum General practitioners |
| Key points | A six-session mindfulness course embedded in general practice vocational training was feasible, with 15 of 17 starters completing at least five sessions. Following the course, participants showed statistically significant improvements in wellbeing, resilience, mindfulness, emotional exhaustion, disengagement, and stress scores, and most said they would recommend it to colleagues. The authors call for further research on uptake, completion, sustainability of effects, and wider applicability. |
Abstract
Background: Early career general practitioners are known to be at high risk of burnout. There is a need for widely applicable, cost-effective evidence-based interventions to develop trainees' protective skills and strategies.
Results: Of 120 eligible trainees, 23 (19.2%) expressed interest in participating, 17 subsequently started the course, and 15 completed at least 5 out of its 6 sessions. All psychological measures were stable for the six-week period prior to commencing the course. Following the course, there were statistically significant (p < 0.05) improvements in wellbeing, resilience, mindfulness, emotional exhaustion, disengagement, and stress scores. Participants described numerous benefits, and most stated that they would recommend it to colleagues.
Conclusion: Including mindful practice within general practice vocational training is feasible, and in this study it benefited the psychological wellbeing of participants. Further research is needed to explore ways of increasing uptake and course completion, the sustainability of its effects, and the wider applicability of this approach.
Citations in the library
Cites 4
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- Mindfulness-based stress reduction for GPs: results of a controlled mixed methods pilot study in Dutch primary care British Journal of General Practice January 28, 2016
- Mindfulness intervention for foundation year doctors: a feasibility study. Pilot and Feasibility Studies April 27, 2019
- The clinical use of mindfulness meditation for the self-regulation of chronic pain. Journal of Behavioral Medicine June 1985