Skip to content

Does Mindfulness Training Enhance the Professional Development of Residents? A Qualitative Study.

Hanne Verweij, Hiske Van Ravesteijn, Madelon L M Van Hooff, Antoine L M Lagro-Janssen, Anne E. M. Speckens

Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges September 2018 DOI: 10.1097/acm.0000000000002260 (opens in new tab)

Read Full Text
Relevant Not relevant

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Qualitative study Peer reviewed
Sample size 19
Population Medical and surgical residents across a range of disciplines who had participated in an optional MBSR course at Radboud university medical center, The Netherlands
Intervention Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR)
Topics Meditation
Key findings Residents reported that MBSR increased their awareness, self-reflection, acceptance of themselves and their limitations, resilience, priority- and limit-setting, self-care, work-life balance, communication awareness, help-seeking, openness to feedback, and compassion for others. The authors conclude that mindfulness training can serve as a tool to cultivate important professional competencies for residents.

Abstract

In addition to developing diagnostic and clinical skills, postgraduate medical education should stimulate residents' professional development. Teaching medical professionalism is challenging and is often left largely to the informal and hidden curricula. An intervention that might be beneficial for medical residents is mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR). The authors implemented MBSR as an optional course for residents and qualitatively explored how it influenced residents professionally. Between 2014 and 2016, the authors conducted 19 in-depth, face-to-face interviews with residents who had participated in an MBSR course at Radboud university medical center, The Netherlands. Medical and surgical residents, across a range of disciplines, participated. The authors used the constant comparison method to analyze the data. The analysis of the data resulted in five themes: awareness of thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations, and behavior; increased self-reflection; acceptance and nonjudgment; increased resilience; and relating to others. Residents indicated that the MBSR training increased their awareness and self-reflection at work, and they were more accepting toward themselves and toward their limitations. Furthermore, they mentioned being more resilient and better at setting priorities and limits. They improved their self-care and work-life balance. In addition, residents indicated that the training made them more aware of how they communicated. They asked for help more often and seemed to be more open toward feedback. Lastly, they indicated an increased sense of compassion for others. This study indicated that mindfulness training can serve as a tool to cultivate important professional competencies for residents.

Comparable studies

Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
The varieties of contemplative experience: A mixed-methods study of meditation-related challenges in Western Buddhists Western Buddhist meditation practitioners and experts in Theravāda, Zen, and Tibetan... 2017 Qualitative study with mixed-methods
The Effects of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction on Nurse Stress and Burnout Nurses in a hospital system 2004 Implementation study with mixed methods
An exploratory mixed methods study of the acceptability and effectiveness of mindfulness -based cognitive therapy for patients with active depression and anxiety in primary care Primary care patients with recurrent depression or recurrent depression and anxiety 2006 Exploratory mixed methods study n = 13
A qualitative study of mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy for depression Participants in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in a mental-health context 2001 Qualitative study n = 7
Effortless awareness: using real time neurofeedback to investigate correlates of posterior cingulate cortex activity in meditators' self-report Meditators 2013 Qualitative study using grounded theory methodology

Citations in the library

Cited by 12

and 7 more in the library

Cites 4

Related reading

Explore topics

Meditation