Evaluating the Impact of Mindfulness Meditation on Family Medicine Residents' Well-being

Abstract

Professional competence in medicine requires a commitment to physician health and well-being, for sustainable practice and optimal patient care. Yet few doctors are taught wellness-enhancing techniques during their training. Mindfulness-based stress reduction has been extensively studied and can be beneficial in reducing stress and burnout while enhancing empathy in medical personnel. This study evaluated the impact of an adapted 8-week program of mindfulness meditation on the well-being of a convenience sample of family medicine residents. Significant improvements were seen in the active group in measurements of personal burnout (d = 1.02, p < 0.05) and mindfulness (d = 1.04, p < 0.05) at 8 weeks, with significant improvement in perceived stress (d = 1.002, p < 0.05) and mindfulness (d = 1.48, p < 0.01) persisting at 16 weeks. Post-mindfulness training evaluations rated the initial group training, meditation recordings and feasibility positively but identified fatigue, conflicting schedules and lack of group time as barriers to the practice of mindfulness-based stress reduction. Protected program time for stress management training may benefit residents' development of Professional competence and patient care outcomes.