A Role for Balint Groups in Medical Student Training

Atkinson, David M.; Rosenstock, Jason

doi:10.1007/bf03355307

Cited by 7 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 17 publications

(18 reference statements)

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“…Some of the benefits of participating in a Balint group described by students in this study mirror those noted elsewhere, particularly the designated space that they provide to discuss emotionally charged patient encounters and the opportunity to discover that other students have undergone similar experiences 5,11 . A novel advantage identified by students in this study was the opportunity that the Balint experience provided for them to bond as a group.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 62%

“…A novel advantage identified by students in this study was the opportunity that the Balint experience provided for them to bond as a group. Other studies have similarly highlighted the vulnerability involved with discussing distressing patient encounters and the discomfort of tolerating silences as challenging aspects of medical student Balint groups 5,11 . Some students voiced a desire for Balint groups to include multidisciplinary team members and more senior doctors.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Following each 5‐week group, participating students were asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire about their Balint experience. The questionnaire (which was adapted with permission from Atkinson and Rosentock 11 ) entailed responding to a number of statements on a 5‐point Likert scale and providing written feedback to open‐ended questions about the group. The Likert scale responses were analysed quantitatively using descriptive statistics.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…scribed by students in this study mirror those noted elsewhere, particularly the designated space that they provide to discuss emotionally charged patient encounters and the opportunity to discover that other students have undergone similar experiences. 5,11 A novel advantage identified by students in this study was the opportunity that the Balint experience provided for them to bond as a group. Other studies have similarly highlighted the vulnerability involved with discussing distressing patient encounters and the discomfort of tolerating silences as challenging aspects of medical student Balint groups.…”

Section: Some Of the Benefits Of Participating In A Balint Group De-mentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Other studies have similarly highlighted the vulnerability involved with discussing distressing patient encounters and the discomfort of tolerating silences as challenging aspects of medical student Balint groups. 5,11 Some students voiced a desire for Balint groups to include multidisciplinary team members and more senior doctors. Sargeant and Au-Yong 8…”

Section: Some Of the Benefits Of Participating In A Balint Group De-mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Can Balint groups fill a gap in medical curricula?

Gajree

2020

The Clinical Teacher

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Background: Emotions play a fundamental role in the professional development of doctors. Teaching medical students about the role of emotions in illness and relationships with patients can be challenging. Balint groups involve a case presentation and discussion focussed on the emotional component of patient interactions. This study aimed to assess whether a Balint group helped medical students to gain a better understanding of the role of emotions in the doctor-patient relationship, and whether students believed that the group provided a valuable educational opportunity. Methods: Voluntary 5-week Balint groups were offered to third, fourth and fifth year medical students on clinical placement at University Hospital Hairmyres. The traditional Balint group format was adhered to. Participating students were asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire following the final group session. Results: Sixteen medical students participated in the Balint groups, and they all completed the questionnaire. The majority of students agreed that the groups helped them to think about the place of emotions in patient encounters, and provided a useful space to think about the doctor-patient relationship. Most students agreed that participating in a Balint group was an important part of their training as a doctor. Students overwhelmingly indicated that Balint groups provide an aspect of training that is not currently addressed elsewhere in the medical student curriculum. Conclusion: Balint groups provide an effective means of educating students about the role of emotions in the doctor-patient relationship. They are largely valued by students as providing a relevant component of their medical education

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 62%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Some Of the Benefits Of Participating In A Balint Group De-mentioning

confidence: 97%