A reflective practice intervention for professional development, reduced stress and improved patient care—A qualitative developmental evaluation

ObjectiveProfessional capabilities, such as empathy and patient-centeredness, decline during medical education. Reflective practice is advocated for teaching these capabilities. The Clinical Reflection Training (CRT) is a reflective practice intervention using the professional dilemmas faced by medical students during clinical practice. The aim of this study was to evaluate students’ perceptions of the helpfulness of the CRT and its effects on their medical education.MethodsEighteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with medical students who had participated in the CRT. Content analysis was used to analyze the interview data.ResultsMedical students did not feel adequately prepared to manage the difficult personal and interpersonal problems frequently encountered in clinical practice. They reported that the CRT reduces stress, improves patient care and serves as a tool for professional development.ConclusionThe CRT may be a useful tool for developing professionalism during medical education, reducing stress and enhancing the quality of patient care.Practice implicationsProviding students with reflective practice training that draws on their current personal clinical problems in order to improve their clinical work may be a productive investment in personal professional development, physician health, and quality improvement.