Advancing Whole Person Care: An Innovative Approach to Integrating Spirituality and Religion into Medical Education

Abstract

Background Despite the recognized significance of the integration of spiritual care into healthcare, training in spiritual care is often an elective rather than a core component of medical education in the U.S., suggesting a gap in the comprehensive training of future healthcare professionals. Methods An innovative elective course, developed to explore the interplay between religion, spirituality, and medicine, was assessed over two academic semesters using qualitative and quantitative methods. The curriculum included lectures, interactive sessions with religious leaders, and discussions aimed at enhancing medical students' understanding and skills in integrating spiritual care into patient care. Through carefully designed pre- and post-course surveys, data was collected to gauge changes in students' perceptions, attitudes, and competencies. Results The course significantly improved participants' confidence and competence in integrating spiritual care into medical practice, as evidenced by the pre- and post-course survey comparisons. Students reported an enhanced understanding of the importance of spiritual care in patient treatment, expressed a greater willingness to incorporate spiritual assessments in their future clinical practice, and demonstrated a markedly elevated ability to correctly assist a patient in certain religiously based case scenarios. Conclusions The elective course successfully addressed a critical gap in medical education by equipping students with the knowledge and skills to incorporate spiritual care into holistic patient treatment. This initiative underscores the need for spiritual care training within medical curricula to prepare well-rounded healthcare professionals capable of meeting the diverse needs of patients. The course model offers a valuable framework for other medical schools aiming to enhance holistic care competencies among students. Trial Registration Not applicable, as this study did not report the results of a health care intervention on human participants requiring registry.