The Project on the Good Physician: Protective Effects of Religion and Spirituality on Well-Being
Jessica Guillaume, Medical Student, Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the ongoing epidemic of physician burnout in the United States—an epidemic with a pervasive negative effect on both patient care and physician well-being. Burnout, characterized by emotional exhaustion, feelings of depersonalization, and a low sense of personal accomplishment, affects over half of physicians across all specialties. The literature suggests physicians’ religious or spiritual traditions offer protection from burnout and positively shape how physicians perceive and cope with professional challenges.
Our research seeks to understand, “What aspects of religion/spirituality promote resiliency and well-being in practicing physicians? How do these religious/spiritual influences compare to secular influences on resiliency and well-being?”
(1)We aim to explore how physicians’ religious/spiritual beliefs shape their professional values and perceived role in the medical system.
(2)Additionally, we want to understand the differences and similarities in how physicians, who may or may not identify as religious or spiritual, reflect on challenges and successes in their careers—especially in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. What sources do physicians draw upon for emotional, physical, and social support and how do these differ by religious/spiritual belief system?
This qualitative study is a continuation of the Project on the Good Physician, a national, longitudinal study conducted in 2011 examining physicians’ professional and moral development. Of all survey respondents, a subset of physicians expressed interest in receiving a follow-up interview related to topics of physician wellness, spirituality/religion, and meaning in medicine. Our sample consists of 21 one-hour qualitative interviews conducted in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic with physicians from a variety of specialties and religious/non-religious traditions. Participants answered open-ended reflective questions about key moments in their moral and professional development and the role of religion/spirituality in navigating major challenges in their careers. Three researchers independently coded the interview transcripts according to the original interview guide. Through an iterative process of discussion, newly integrated coding schemes emerged and are currently being applied to the interview transcripts. Preliminary analysis suggests physicians call upon their religious/spiritual traditions to (1) establish a sustaining sense of purpose, (2) surrender control and find peace, and (3) approach patient interactions as a form of worship.
We hope that by engaging physicians in reflective discussions about their careers in medicine and experiences navigating hardship, we can elucidate the unique protective components of religious/spiritual frameworks.
Our research seeks to understand, “What aspects of religion/spirituality promote resiliency and well-being in practicing physicians? How do these religious/spiritual influences compare to secular influences on resiliency and well-being?”
(1)We aim to explore how physicians’ religious/spiritual beliefs shape their professional values and perceived role in the medical system.
(2)Additionally, we want to understand the differences and similarities in how physicians, who may or may not identify as religious or spiritual, reflect on challenges and successes in their careers—especially in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. What sources do physicians draw upon for emotional, physical, and social support and how do these differ by religious/spiritual belief system?
This qualitative study is a continuation of the Project on the Good Physician, a national, longitudinal study conducted in 2011 examining physicians’ professional and moral development. Of all survey respondents, a subset of physicians expressed interest in receiving a follow-up interview related to topics of physician wellness, spirituality/religion, and meaning in medicine. Our sample consists of 21 one-hour qualitative interviews conducted in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic with physicians from a variety of specialties and religious/non-religious traditions. Participants answered open-ended reflective questions about key moments in their moral and professional development and the role of religion/spirituality in navigating major challenges in their careers. Three researchers independently coded the interview transcripts according to the original interview guide. Through an iterative process of discussion, newly integrated coding schemes emerged and are currently being applied to the interview transcripts. Preliminary analysis suggests physicians call upon their religious/spiritual traditions to (1) establish a sustaining sense of purpose, (2) surrender control and find peace, and (3) approach patient interactions as a form of worship.
We hope that by engaging physicians in reflective discussions about their careers in medicine and experiences navigating hardship, we can elucidate the unique protective components of religious/spiritual frameworks.