I fear that because of time constraints, stress, or burnout, I will not become the caliber of physician that I set out to be. Today, I am a bright-eyed MS1, eager to serve others, yet it is impossible to ignore the fact that my chosen profession is rife with burnout. I do not imagine I am immune to it.
I am incredibly grateful for the knowledge that Dr. Gidwani and Dr. Hartmark-Hill shared during their presentation on February 11, 2020 on the science of compassionate care because it provided me with tools to combat this fear. In their session—made possible by the Arthur P. Gold Foundation—they suggested that compassion offers a solution to burnout without sacrificing connections with patients and encouraged us to “lean-in” to our interactions with patients rather than withdrawing in an effort for self-preservation.
Dr. Gidwani and Dr. Hartmark-Hill illuminated the positive effects of compassion on patient and provider health by presenting empirical evidence from the book Compassionomics by Dr. Stephen Trzeciak and Dr. Anthony Mazzarelli. Compassionomics is a term proposed by Dr. Trzeciak that combines the notion of compassion as a moral imperative with that of an evidence-based intervention. The driving point of the session was that there is an increasing body of evidence demonstrating that compassion should be the standard of care for treating patients with ailments from the common cold to cancer.
Although the research indicates that this practice is mutually beneficial to patients and providers, Dr. Gidwani points out that we are in the midst of a compassion crisis. He cited, among other studies, a survey from 2011 that revealed nearly half of patients and physicians believe that the U.S. healthcare system does not consistently provide compassionate care [1]. This lack of compassion can have detrimental downstream effects on our healthcare system and society at large. Thus, there is a clear and urgent need to energize movement towards more compassionate care.
This information worsened my concern for the possibility of “compassion muscle” atrophy; however, Dr. Hartmark-Hill reassured the group that just as it can atrophy, it can grow with practice and attention. She walked us through a compassion exercise, then cited a study by that showed repeating a compassion exercise 30 minutes a day for two weeks resulted in fMRI scans showing significantly more activity in compassion-related brain areas when they looked at images of suffering compared to controls [2].
The evidence is clear: compassion interventions, that take as little as 40 seconds to implement, significantly improve outcomes ranging from psychological to physiologic to financial. The data also indicates that empathy is a protective factor against burnout and that practicing compassion mitigates the effects of stress and inflammation. Such findings exceeded my expectations for the benefits of this type of practice and were a welcomed surprise.
Following the session, I feel less worried about failing to become a caring and competent physician because I am equipped with the knowledge that 40 seconds of compassion can improve patient care, enhance my own well-being, and ultimately save time and money. It may sound too good to be true, but the science is crystal clear. I would encourage anyone—healthcare provider or not—to look at the evidence for themselves. Compassion is good for patients, doctors, and businesses. It may not be an inherent trait, but it is a skill that can be practiced every day. Be present and assure others you are there for them. Let’s all try a little harder to be present, assure others we are there for them and lean into our experiences with compassion.
- Lown, B. A., Rosen, J., & Marttila, J. (2011). An Agenda For Improving Compassionate Care: A Survey Shows About Half Of Patients Say Such Care Is Missing. Health Affairs, 30(9), 1772–1778. Doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2011.0539
- Weng, H. Y., Fox, A. S., Shackman, A. J., Stodola, D. E., Caldwell, J. Z. K., Olson, M. C., … Davidson, R. J. (2013). Compassion Training Alters Altruism and Neural Responses to Suffering. Psychological Science, 24(7), 1171–1180. Doi: 10.1177/0956797612469537
Katherine Bracamontes is a student at The University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix class of 2023. She graduated from the University of Southern California in 2015 with a B.S. in Lifespan Health. While living in California she became involved with her local radio station, which fostered an interest in community culture and journalism. Katherine enjoys live music and hiking at a very, very leisurely pace.