Doctors Being Mindful

The University of Rochester Medical Center is teaching its doctors to be mindful.

Approximately 40 doctors attended the mindful communication training conference last week at the Chapin Mill Retreat Center.

Being mindful is an ancient practice that is rapidly becoming popular in the 21st Century. When you're mindful, you simply focus on the present moment. But the effects of doing so are far from simple. In fact, mindfulness has shown to reduce stress and improve health.

Two years ago, University of Rochester Medical Center researchers studied the effects of mindfulness on a group of primary care doctors. The results, published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, were promising. Consequently, the university has decided to conducted regular mindfulness cmmunication training of their doctors.

I think this is great progress. Can you have imagined doctors sitting for meditation 20-years ago?