Teaching spirituality to Canadian medical students: students’ perceptions of a spiritual history taking clinical skills session

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36834/cmej.76347

Abstract

Implication Statement

Spirituality involves one’s sense of purpose, connection with others, and ability to find meaning in life. We implemented a three-year pilot of a spiritual history taking (SHT) clinical skills session. In small groups, medical students discussed and practiced SHT with clinical scenarios and the FICA framework and received preceptor and peer feedback. Post-session focus groups and interviews demonstrated student perceptions of improved comfort, knowledge, and awareness of discussing spirituality with patients. This innovation may support improved clinical skills teaching across other health professions institutions to better prepare students to recognize patients’ spiritual needs and provide more holistic, culturally competent care.

Author Biographies

  • Tsz Ying So, University of Toronto

    Contributed equally as first author

  • Kyung Young Kim, University of Toronto

    Contributed equally as first author

References

Hartung YE, Henriques LM, Nyhof-Young JM. Towards an outline for an undergraduate medicine curriculum in spirituality. University of Toronto Med J. 2012;89(2), 78-81.

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Loo CKJ, Kinoshita K, Vincent J, Nyhof-Young J. Towards an enriching educational experience in spirituality: investigating medical student attitudes on spirituality in health care. Poster presentation at the 25th annual U of T Undergraduate Medical Student Research Day. Feb 17, 2011.

Rassoulian A, Seidman C, Löffler-Stastka H. Transcendence, religion and spirituality in medicine. Med (Baltimore). 2016;95(38):e4953. https://doi.org/10.1097%2FMD.0000000000004953

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Puchalski C, Romer AL. Taking a spiritual history allows clinicians to understand patients more fully. J Pall Med. 2000, c1996;3(1): 129-137

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Published

2023-05-30

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 5 (2023)

Section

You Should Try This

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Copyright (c) 2023 Tsz Ying So, Kyung Young Kim, Emily Kornelsen, Emily Brubaker-Zehr, Joyce Nyhof-Young

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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How to Cite

1.
Teaching spirituality to Canadian medical students: students’ perceptions of a spiritual history taking clinical skills session. Can. Med. Ed. J [Internet]. 2023 May 30 [cited 2025 Dec. 14];14(5):105-7. Available from: https://dev.journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/cmej/article/view/76347