Medical student beliefs: spirituality's relationship to health and place in the medical school curriculum

Abstract

The relationship between spirituality and health is receiving increased attention; consequently medical schools have begun asking how and in what manner these issues should be addressed in medical education. Unfortunately, student beliefs concerning spirituality and health have not been adequately assessed. This study examined medical student beliefs regarding the relationship between spirituality and health and the level of instruction spirituality should receive in the curriculum. Questionnaire results from 254 medical students indicated that religiousness and spirituality are important, with spirituality more important than religiousness. Spiritual practices were seen as more helpful for acute and mental health conditions than for chronic or terminal conditions and believed to be more helpful for coping with a health condition than healing tissue. Students believed that patients could benefit from spiritual practices more than they could for their own health conditions. Most students endorsed a lecture or one- to two-week seminar with instruction in the first or second year of medical school. Student spirituality was the only predictor of required level of instruction in the medical school curriculum.

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Notes on contributors

Thomas P. Guck

THOMAS P. GUCK is an Associate Professor and Director of Behavioral Sciences in the Department of Family Medicine at Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE.

Michael G. Kavan

MICHAEL G. KAVAN is an Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Associate Dean for Student Affairs at Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE. Both authors have taught behavioral sciences to medical students and Family Medicine residents for nearly 20 years.