Reducing stress, strengthening resilience and self-care in medical students through Mind-Body Medicine (MBM).
GMS journal for medical education January 1, 2025 Benno Brinkhaus, Barbara Stöckigt, Claudia M Witt et al.
Stress-related illnesses are increasing among medical students and doctors in Germany and internationally. Mind-Body Medicine (MBM) courses are being offered at several German medical faculties, including Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the universities of Magdeburg, Witten-Herdecke, Essen, and Ulm. Evaluations of student courses at Charité and Magdeburg showed a reduction in perceived stress and increases in self-efficacy, mindfulness, self-reflection, and empathy among 117 Charité students, and improvements in mindfulness and self-compassion among 69 Magdeburg students. In qualitative focus groups, Charité students reported better self-regulation of stressful experiences, personal growth, and new insights into integrative medicine. Further implementation and networked evaluation of MBM courses across German-speaking universities is recommended.