Medical students find mind-body regulation training helpful

(HealthDay)—A practical approach may be used to offer mind-body regulation training to medical students, according to research published in the Fall issue of the Annals of Behavioral Science and Medical Education.

William J. McCann, Psy.D., of the Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C., and colleagues introduced a combination of applied relaxation and applied mindfulness techniques to third-year medical students.

The researchers found that overall feedback was positive from the approximately 150 students who received the self-regulation training. Mind-body self-regulation techniques were taught, including muscle relaxation and meditation.

"The practice of medicine is a stressful challenge even for our best and brightest students," McCann said in a statement. "The rate of burnout among doctors is sobering and every medical school needs to include stress-management training in their curriculums."

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