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Why Yoga & Mindfulness Should Be Taught In Medical School, From A Clinical Researcher

Author:

Christine Tara Peterson, PhD, AHP, RYT

December 03, 2023

Ayurveda & Yoga Researcher

By Christine Tara Peterson, PhD, AHP, RYT

Ayurveda & Yoga Researcher

Dr. Christine Tara Peterson PhD, AHP, RYT is a highly accomplished practitioner and researcher in Ayurveda and Yoga. She has a background in Microbiology & Immunology, which she has integrated with her knowledge of Ayurveda and Herbal Medicine to become a renowned expert in the field.

Image by PeopleImages / iStock

December 03, 2023

Medical school, with its rigorous demands and intense academic pressure, places significant stress on students 1. Thankfully, there's a growing movement to change medical education so it better supports the holistic well-being of future doctors. As a yoga researcher at a leading medical school, here's why I think yoga and mindfulness should be integrated into every medical school curriculum—for the sake of both doctors and patients.

Why yoga & mindfulness can be especially valuable for future doctors

The prevalence of stress among medical students is well-documented 2. Here are a few reasons why yoga—with roots deeply embedded in promoting health and mindfulness—may help combat it:

Yoga combines physical postures, breathing exercises, and meditation in a way that has shown promise in reducing stress levels 3. Mindfulness practices, rooted in focused awareness, complement yoga by promoting the resilience and emotional well-being that all doctors need.
Research indicates that yoga and mindfulness practices can enhance cognitive function, including improved attention, memory, and decision-making 4. This cognitive enhancement is particularly valuable for medical students navigating complex information and high-stakes decisions.
Yoga and mindfulness have been associated with improvements in mental health parameters, including reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression 5. Given the alarming rates of mental health issues among medical students, these practices offer a preventive and therapeutic avenue.
Yoga and mindfulness practices cultivate empathy 6 and compassion 7, essential qualities for healthcare providers. Incorporating these practices into medical education can contribute to more compassionate, empathetic, and patient-centered physicians.

The current state of yoga in medical education

Last year, my research group published a scoping review 8 delving into the current landscape of yoga in U.S. medical schools. The study aimed to shed light on the characteristics of existing programs and their impact on medical students.

It explored three main models for bringing yoga into medical schools: recreational (ie. through a fitness facility), research (as part of scientific study), and educational (curriculum-based).

We found that research, with its focus on data generation in the context of scientific studies, was the most prevalent model. The educational model was the least prevalent, and the recreational model was in the middle.

While evidence supports the efficacy of yoga interventions 9 in reducing stress for medical students, our review found that yoga programs continue to be relatively rare in U.S. medical schools.

How can we make it more mainstream?

As the popularity of yoga grows in the U.S., medical schools have an opportunity to embrace this ancient practice to foster student well-being. The educational model, despite its current rarity, holds great promise in combining the benefits of yoga with medical education objectives. Here's what I propose for steps forward that will help us best integrate yoga into medical education:

Work yoga & mindfulness into more curriculums:

Develop elective courses or modules: Introduce optional courses or modules focused on yoga, mindfulness, and their applications in healthcare.
Integrate yoga into existing courses: Seamlessly integrate yoga and mindfulness practices into existing courses, emphasizing their relevance to stress management 10 and overall well-being.
Develop educational materials: Create resources that explain the science behind yoga and mindfulness, emphasizing their benefits for medical students and healthcare professionals.
Start online platforms and workshops: Utilize online platforms to offer workshops and resources, making these practices accessible to a broader audience of students and healthcare workers.
Provide training for faculty: Offer workshops and training sessions for faculty members to familiarize them with the principles of yoga and mindfulness, enabling them to incorporate these practices into their teaching.

Start new wellness programs:

Gather institutional support: Garner support from medical institutions and funding agencies to establish comprehensive student wellness programs that include yoga and mindfulness components.
Start new wellness initiatives: Encourage the development of wellness initiatives that prioritize the mental and physical health of medical students throughout their academic journey.

Invest in more research:

Conduct research studies: Support and conduct research to assess the impact of yoga and mindfulness on medical student well-being, academic performance, and overall resilience. I'd love to see researchers explore how structured yoga courses affect physicians' quality of life and burnout in long-term quantitative studies.
Keep learning & iterating: Implement continuous evaluation mechanisms to refine and improve the integration of these practices based on feedback and outcomes.

Increase advocacy & awareness:

Raise awareness: Initiate awareness campaigns highlighting the benefits of yoga and mindfulness in medical education, targeting both students and faculty.
Advocate for policy change: Advocate for policy changes at the institutional level to officially recognize and support the integration of these practices into medical school curricula.

In essence, integrating yoga into medical school education can contribute not only to the resilience of future clinicians but also to a paradigm shift in the U.S. healthcare system. I believe it can help us move towards a holistic model that prioritizes the well-being of both medical professionals and their patients.

The takeaway

Yoga and mindfulness present an invaluable opportunity to revolutionize medical education. By strategically integrating these practices into curricula, fostering faculty and institutional support, and conducting rigorous research, medical schools can train more resilient, compassionate, and well-rounded healthcare professionals. And as the paradigm shifts toward a more holistic approach to medical education, the benefits will not only be felt by students. They'll extend to patients and the healthcare system as a whole.