Future Directions, Culture and Caveats for Mindfulness in Medical Settings

Abstract

Although the emphasis in most research examined in this book has been on the individual within medical educational and work settings, enhancing the individual’s ability to personally manage demanding environments should not be seen in isolation from the need to reform the environments within which the individual learns and works. The workplace culture within which medical students are educated and junior doctors are trained can be unsupportive and even abusive. This raises the need for mindful leadership in developing environments and cultures that foster health professionals’ learning, well-being and performance. There is evidence that mindfulness-based workplace programmes help to build resilience and reduce frustration even in unsupportive and controlling work environments, but some have raised legitimate concerns that mindfulness-based workplace interventions aimed at enhancing individual performance and resilience in dysfunctional work environments could make it easy to ignore the need for systemic or cultural change and lead to further abuse of workers.