Training undergraduate medical students in mindfulness by navigating the potential challenges: A narrative review.

Medical students during their period of training are exposed to lots of stress owing to the pressure of academics, adaptation to new living conditions, and peer-related factors. Mindfulness refers to conscious efforts to encourage healthcare professionals, including medical students to live in the current moment, without being concerned about the events in the past or the future. Training of students in mindfulness methods is expected to play a defining role in reducing stress among them, which will in turn aid in promoting their overall well-being. Even though training of medical students in mindfulness has been recognized as the need of the hour and has multiple merits for the students, patients, and healthcare delivery services, there have been some challenges in its successful implementation in any medical institution. In conclusion, training medical students in mindfulness methods is expected to promote personal well-being and the development of vital professional attributes. However, as the process of implementation in medical institutions might be accompanied by different challenges, it is the need of the hour to integrate mindfulness initiatives within the existing curriculum and support the same with faculty training and administrative support. The following core competencies are addressed in this article: Interpersonal and Communication Skills, and Professionalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]