title: Incorporating Spirituality into Health Sciences Education.
abstract: Researchers are beginning to collect empiric data about coping mechanisms of health science students. Yet, there is an important aspect of coping with stress that is only partially addressed in health sciences curricula: students' spiritual well-being. In this essay, we describe a course in spirituality and health care that we offered to fourth-year medical students, as well as a small empirical study we conducted to assess students' spiritual needs and practices. We then offer reflections on the broad applicability of this work to students in the health sciences more generally, including suggestions for curriculum interventions that may ensure students' success.
authors.affiliation: Master of Arts in Bioethics Program, School of Medicine, Emory University, Center for Ethics, 1531 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA. Toby.schonfeld@emory.edu.
authors.forename: Toby L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Schonfeld
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
authors.forename: Kendra K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Schmid
authors.affiliation: Clarkson College, Omaha, NE, USA.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Boucher-Payne
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003479:Curriculum; D006801:Humans; D029181:Spirituality; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Coping mechanisms; Medical students; Religion and health care; Spirituality; Stress and students