BACKGROUND: In an effort to improve the well-being of students and
faculty at Georgetown University School of Medicine, we developed a new
course that is based on three frameworks of Human Flourishing. The concept is
that for students and faculty to thrive in medical school and in life,
various domains of Human Flourishing, such as meaning and purpose, character
and values, and positive relationships, need to be aligned along with
physical and mental well-being. The goal of this session is to share how the
elements of Human Flourishing were operationalized into an experiential
course for medical students and a faculty training program.
METHODS: A review of several frameworks resulted in the selection of 8
domains of human flourishing that were then operationalized into a 9-session
course with specific activities and reflections by the student participants.
In addition, a 3-day immersion faculty training retreat was developed to
build capacity for facilitators of the course. This experiential course is
taught to groups of 10 students with 2 faculty facilitators.
RESULTS: The course was piloted with 10 second-year medical students in 2023
and successfully implemented for first-year students (n=32). Both
quantitative and qualitative outcomes suggest that the experience led to
significant (P<0.05) reductions in perceived stress and negative affect
and increases in Flourishing and positive affect. Students expressed
gratitude for the insights they gained and skills they learned. Three faculty
training retreats (3-day immersions) were held for 10 participants each,
several of whom were from institutions outside Georgetown. Outcomes data from
both the course and the retreats provide strong impetus for continued
investment in this program.
CONCLUSIONS: Operationalizing specific domains of Human Flourishing into an
experiential course that focuses on specific elements and tools that can be
taught to medical students and faculty can lead to fostering self-awareness,
self-reflection and improved well-being.