A five-day Mindfulness Based Intervention to reduce burnout and psychological distress in UK Medical Students

Background: Medical professionals face significant work overload, with excessive job demands often strongly associated with attrition and burnout. Consequences of burnout include reduced job satisfaction, absenteeism, reduced patient care, lower patient satisfaction and increased healthcare costs. UK Medical students are also at high risk of burnout. Mindfulness-based interventions are effective individual-level treatments, however more research is required to investigate the efficacy of mindfulness for healthcare professionals and students.

Method: Four cohorts of second-year medical students at Cardiff University participated in a five-day, in-person mindfulness-based intervention. Pre (T1) and post (T2) intervention and follow-up (T3) survey data were collected online using validated outcome measures for burnout, psychological distress and wellbeing.

Results: Statistical analysis of data from 69 participants found a statistically significant improvement post intervention (T2) for current energy, calmness, focus and stress (all P=0.001). Statistically significant improvements in psychological distress (Core-10, P=0.001), Burnout (OLBI, P=0.023), and Wellbeing (WHO5, P=0.37) with small, large and small effect sizes respectively; maintained at follow-up (T3). Satisfaction ratings were consistently high, and completion rate was 100%.

Discussion: Medical schools should consider implementing mindfulness-based interventions into medical curricula, as a feasible and acceptable student selected preventative tool to address burnout and incorporate student perspectives on delivery; to prevent mental ill health in medical professionals.