The physician healer track: educating the hearts and the minds of future physicians

Figures & data

Table 1. Curriculum summary for the physician healer track

Physician Healer Track Curriculum
Monthly Meetings
Curricular Themes	Year 1	Year 2		Year 3	Year 4
Awareness and Attention	Stress Awareness Self-Compassion Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (2 sessions) Internal Family Systems Non-Violent Communication Shame Awareness and Resilience Mindfulness Research	Gratitude (2 sessions) Seeing Bias Mystery and Awe in medicine		Revisit 1^st & 2^nd year topics from both monthly sessions and Preceptorship during specific rotations	Revisit 1^st & 2^nd year topics from both monthly sessions and Preceptorship during specific rotations
Balance and Wellness	Humor	Religion and Spirituality Wellness Planning
Communication and Connection	Non-Violent Communication	Breaking Bad News Healing Presence Challenging Communications Compassion Empathy
Integration and Acculturation				Students apply concepts from the first two years to experiences in clinical clerkships	Students integrate healer concepts into electives.
Reflection	Students write a reflective essay about the application of the content to their life and engage in reflective discussion at the dinner meetings.	Students write a reflective essay about the application of the content to their life and engage in reflective discussion at the dinner meetings.		Students continue to write reflective essays and participate in monthly discussions.	Students continue to write reflective essays and participate in monthly discussions.
Immersive Experiences
Curricular Themes	Preceptorship after Year 1 8 week duration		Capstone course in Year 4 4 weeks duration
Awareness and Attention	Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Daily Meditation Internal Family Systems Weekend Mindfulness Retreat		Daily meditation 3 day mindfulness retreat
Balance and Wellness	Sleep, Nutrition, Exercise, Relationships, Humor Journaling Shame Resilience Life Story		Nutrition, Exercise, Relationships, Humor Planning for residency: time, finances, lifestyle, relationships
Communication and Connection	Motivational Interviewing Non-Violent Communication Hospice, Difficult Discussions Energy Medicine Being with Suffering		Motivational Interviewing Non-Violent Communication
Integration and Acculturation	Clinical Shadowing ‘Second Victim’ workshop Equanimity		Planning for residency – How to continue to cultivate healer skills
Reflection	Write reflection on selected movies Daily journaling Summative reflective essay (5 pages) Life Story		Journaling Reflective discussion of application of program content in clinical experiences
Books Used Throughout the Track
CBT Journal for Dummies, Wilson R, Branch R. Chichester, England: John Wiley & Sons; 2012. Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life, Rosenberg MB, Chopra D. Encinitas, CA: Puddledancer Press; 2015. Naikan: Gratitude, Grace, and the Japanese Art of Self-Reflection, Krech G. Berkeley, CA: Stone Bridge Press; 2002 I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn’t): Making the Journey from ‘What Will People Think?’ to ‘I Am Enough’, Brown B. New York: Avery, 2008. (Students may substitute another book by the same author) The Art of Being a Healing Presence, Miller JE, Cutshall S. Fort Wayne, IN: Willowgreen Publishing; 2001. Parts Work: an Illustrated Guide to Your Inner Life, Holmes T, Holmes L. Kalamazoo, MI: Winged Heart Press; 2007. Positive Spirituality in Healthcare, Craigie FC. Minneapolis, MN: Mill City Press, Inc.; 2010. (Foundational text for years 3&4)

Table 2. Results of level 2 evaluation*

To what extent has PHT: (5 point scale: very small extent to very large extent)	MS1 (n = 105)	PRECEPT- ORSHIP (n = 216)	MS2 (n = 119)	MS3 (n = 98)	MS4 (n = 71)
Positively impacted my personal development	3.90	4.37	4.24	4.16	4.4
Improved my ability to empathize and connect	3.66	4.29	4.11	4.10	4.34
Positively impacted my professional development	3.92	4.19	4.20	4.09	4.31
Taught skills i have used to take better care of myself	3.55	4.16	3.95	3.84	4.34
Increased my knowledge for personal development	3.85	4.21	4.14	3.92	4.36
Confirmed my satisfaction with my decision to become a physician	3.84	4.19	3.96	4.00	4.07
Helped me cope with stress	3.32	3.89	3.80	3.65	4.26
Increased my ability to work collaboratively	3.09	3.59	3.60	3.62	3.83
Increased my self-confidence	3.03	3.55	3.43	3.56	3.87

*Mean values for combined cohorts.

Figure 1. Longitudinal Impact* *Mean values for combined cohorts