On Saturday, May 11, the Center for Mindfulness at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine is hosting a workshop to help physicians and clinicians increase job satisfaction and prevent burnout. The program will show participants how to incorporate the concept of mindfulness into their daily clinical practice with the long-term goal of enhancing patient-centered care and physician well-being through compassionate communication.
"This is a unique opportunity for clinicians to learn to take better care of themselves and their patients through attentive and mindful interactions in every moment," said Steven Hickman, PsyD, director, UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness. "Practicing medicine mindfully can increase a clinician's sense of well-being and the ability to empathize with each patient they encounter. This may result in fewer medical errors, greater self-awareness, and the ability to see a situation from multiple perspectives before reacting."
The day-long course is designed to introduce participants to the components of mindfulness practice, how awareness of interpersonal communication can improve office dynamics, and how to avoid mental and physical burnout. Experiential exercises will help attendees better respond to the suffering of patients by exploring common reactions to chronic illness and pain and an analysis of personal reactions to it.
"This course is ideal for physicians who feel stressed or compassion fatigued or who think they are headed there. Embracing these techniques can bring joy back into the practice of medicine," said Adele Josepho, MD, psychiatrist and UCSD Center For Mindfulness instructor. "Each time a physician opens a door to see a patient, she or he needs to be fully aware and present and to focus solely on the patient's needs. This course can help doctors get back in touch with these skills."