Sixty New Medical Students Began Their Journey With A Focus On Mindfulness And Meditation

FORT WORTH – Sixty new medical students representing eighteen states got a first-hand look at what it takes to become an Empathetic Scholar® at the Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian University.

The Class of 2028 spent the first two weeks adjusting to Fort Worth and the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU with a two-week immersion course called Introduction to Medicine.

“It’s awesome and I don’t think you would get that anywhere else,” Zach Ismaio, MS-1 at Burnett School of Medicine said.

The course is meant to set students up for success as they embark on their medical school journey, according to Erin Nelson, Psy.D., Assistant Dean of Physician Communication at Burnett School of Medicine at TCU.

“We want them to get to know this place as their home,” Dr. Nelson said. “This is their school of medicine.”

A unique part of the course focuses on student well-being. They began one of the days with an early morning meditation session. About two dozen students closed their eyes, took deep breaths and fell deep into thought as they listened to Mark Dennis, Ph.D., Director of the Calms (Compassionate Awareness and Living Mindfully) Studies Group calmly gives tips on handling stress.

“I think it’s easy to always fall into this trap of always needing to study and do well,” Dennis said. “Learning some simple techniques and basic meditation can be a helpful way to take a break and reduce stress.”

Their life outside of medical school can play a big part in their success in the classroom, Craig Keaton, Ph.D., Director of Wellness at Burnett School of Medicine added.

“These bodies, our minds and hearts, these are the things we carry with us,” Keaton said. “This allows us to do what we do and if we’re not taking care of those things we can’t do what we are called to do.”

Another part of setting students up for success is making sure they are aware of the resources available to them.

“We want to start from day one inspiring that lifelong learner,” Dr. Nelson said. “They’re not going to know the answer to everything but we’re going to teach you how to find the answers and how to rely on your classmates and faculty and staff.”

The Class of 2028 heard from a panel of five upperclassmen and received some great insight about their journey and how they have navigated medical school so far.

“We have valuable resources that we can reach out to,” Ismaio said. “Knowing that makes you feel like a greater sense of community and closer ties to the people and the community you want to serve.”

Throughout the two-week course, the students met faculty and staff, had dinner with Burnett School of Medicine Department Chairs, learned about school policies, curriculum and toured the Simulation & Technology classrooms.

Sylvia Inkindi, MS-1 at Burnett School of Medicine, who was selected by her classmates as the student speaker at the White Coat Celebration loved everything about Introduction to Medicine.

“Introduction to Medicine really got me excited about the curriculum at Burnett School of Medicine at TCU,” Inkindi said. “I really got a feel that this is a family environment and it’s going to be my home.”