Abstract
Purpose
Training of compassionate and empathetic physicians requires commitment by educators to make it a priority. Chaplains typically have time and training to effectively demonstrate compassionate care in the clinical setting. This qualitative study aims to explore perceived benefits among medical students from pastoral care shadowing in integrating compassion and spirituality into education curricula.
Methods
Sixty-four written reflections from first- and second-year medical students were collected from December 2018 to January 2020 after shadowing with hospital chaplains. Unprompted reflections were analyzed using coding networks.
Results
Four major themes identified included (1) learned values within pastoral care, (2) learned roles of pastoral care in the healthcare setting, (3) practiced spiritual assessment tools and resource identification, and (4) reflected personal impact on future career. Within each major theme, three to four sub-themes were further identified.
Conclusions
Reflections support chaplain shadowing as a model for emphasizing spiritual and compassionate care through role-modeling, hands-on learning and reflective practices.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to graciously thank all members of the pastoral care department at Augusta University Health for giving their time and expertise during medical student shadowing experiences, as well as student members of the LTE program for their dedication in promoting compassionate care.
Disclosure statement
The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.
Glossary
Compassion: A sympathetic consciousness of others’ adversities accompanied with a desire to alleviate it (Lown et al. Citation2011)
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Mikalyn T. DeFoor
Mikalyn T. DeFoor, MD, is a graduate from the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University (AU) and current Orthopaedic Surgery resident at Brooke Army Medical Center.
Mary M. Moses
Mary M. Moses is a third-year medical student at the Medical College of Georgia AU.
W. Jeffery Flowers
W. Jeffery Flowers, DMin, BCC, is Director of Pastoral Care at AU Health System. He is a board-certified chaplain and faculty in the Center for Bioethics and Health Policy.
Richard W. Sams
Richard W. Sams II, MD, MA, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and in the Center for Bioethics and Health Policy at AU.