Mind–Body Skills Training for Improving Emotional Well-Being in Medical Students

instruments measuring self-esteem, altruism, and dimensions of empathy constituted the majority of the questions in the online survey. Descriptive statistics were conducted to describe the sample. Reliability statistics were run on all scales using Cronbach's Alpha, and multiple regression analysis was employed to test the hypotheses. Summary of Results: Significant findings indicate the following: 1) Medical students with higher levels of selfesteem and altruism, and those who have had personal experience with chronic/serious illness, have higher levels of measured empathy; 2) Students participating in the Mind/ Body psycho-social curricular elective have greater levels of empathy than those not enrolled in this program; 3) Students selecting the specialty category of Orthopedics/Anesthesiology have lower measured levels of empathy than students in other specialties; and, 4) Female students have greater levels of measured empathy than male students. Conclusion: It is posited that this study advances education in the field of complementary and integrative medicine. Implications of the research suggest that the social work profession is uniquely important in integrative and multidisciplinary health care, as it considers the whole person as a self-determining individual influenced and influencing his or her environment (Reese & Raymer, 2004). An understanding of the cognitive and affective dimensions of empathy, gleaned through an exploration of both personal and contextual factors, will enable educators to offer curricular changes and to disseminate the information to students in medical school. Furthermore, an examination of the factors influencing empathy helps to broaden existing knowledge for future research, while adding to the general area of expertise. This research would not have been possible without the support and full cooperation of Georgetown University School of Medicine. This study suggests many positive findings for the institution, not the least of which is the lack of decline in empathy as students progress through the program. The significant strength and positive influence on empathy suggested by the statistical analysis of the Mind/Body program is to be lauded and emulated.