The Effects of Heart Rhythm Meditation on Vagal Tone and Well-being: A Mixed Methods Research Study.

Many studies have examined the effects of meditation practice focused on the normal breath on vagal tone with mixed results. Heart Rhythm Meditation (HRM) is a unique meditation form that engages in the deep slow full breath, and puts the focus of attention on the heart. This form of breathing likely stimulates the vagus nerve with greater intensity. The purpose of this study was (a) to examine how the practice of HRM affects vagal activity as measured by heart rate variability (HRV); and (b) to examine how it affects participants' well-being. 74 participants signed consent agreeing to: (a) take a six-week course to learn the practice of HRM; (b) engage in a daily practice for 10 weeks; (c) have their heart rate variability read through ECG technology and to take two validated well-being instruments at the beginning and end of the 10 weeks; and (d) participate in a focus group interview examining their perceptions of how the practice affected their well-being. 48 participants completed the study. Quantitative findings show the effect of the practice of HRM approached significance for multiple measures of HRV and vagal tone. An increase in well-being scores for those who did the meditation more than 10-minutes per day did meet statistical significance. Qualitative data indicate: (a) the positive effects of HRM on stress and well-being; (b) the development of a more expanded sense of self; and (c) an increased awareness of the interconnection of the body-heart-emotions and HRM's role in emotion regulation.

Embodied aspects of learning to be a surgeon.

Embodied learning is an educational concept that has been applied to various aspects of education, but only touched on in medical education, largely in relation to the teaching and learning of anatomy. Thus far, the medical literature has not addressed embodied learning as it specifically relates to learning to operate and be a surgeon. This paper will discuss relevant principles of embodied learning/cognition, ways it is important both for learning to function as a surgeon and for learning to perform technical aspects of surgery, and finally will discuss implications for surgical education. In particular, it will address ways in which embodied learning can and should be incorporated into educational activities specific to surgery.

The role of creative expression in diabetes: an exploration into the meaning-making process.

In this narrative exploration of meaning making through the use of creative arts, we recorded the experiences of 8 women with type 1 diabetes. Through a conceptual framework of creative expression as a way of knowing, we designed this study to evoke affective and metaphorical connections to the meaning of diabetes. The initial narrative interview findings reflected the experience of the participants, with three primary themes emerging: experiencing negative emotions about diabetes, putting a positive "spin" on the negative as a way to make meaning, and resisting against diabetes and the medical approach. During the creative arts process, we encouraged further exploration into the meaning-making process using imagery and photographs created by the participants. Final interview findings addressed the need for moving beyond numbers, and attention to the meaning-making process in patient care.

Teaching beliefs of medical educators: perspectives on clinical teaching in pediatrics.

BACKGROUND: Most who teach in clinical settings see themselves primarily as clinicians or physicians responsible for patient care and only secondarily as educators. The education literature suggests that teaching predominantly operates at a tacit level, where teachers rely on core beliefs to guide their practice, and actually spend little time in reflective practice. Given the lack of research on how medical educators in clinical settings view their teaching, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the teaching beliefs of faculty in a pediatrics department in a college of medicine. METHODS: Using a Teaching Perspectives Inventory, observations and in-depth interviews, a complex picture was revealed about teaching beliefs of medical educators. RESULTS: Due to contextual constraints of the clinical setting (e.g., time, competing stakeholders) that requires primary attention to patient care, they describe 'teaching on the fly'. There is a strong emphasis on: delivering content; encouraging thinking among students; providing questioning and engaging learning experiences; and respecting students as learners. CONCLUSIONS: The implications of these beliefs are significant and indicate that faculty can benefit from opportunities that make their beliefs about teaching more conscious, particularly in determining how best to prepare future physicians to teach in clinical settings.

The essential value of projects in faculty development.

Projects--planned activities with specific goals and outcomes--have been used in faculty development programs to enhance participant learning and development. Projects have been employed most extensively in programs designed to develop faculty as educators. The authors review the literature and report the results of their 2008 study of the impact of projects within the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine Junior Faculty Development Program, a comprehensive faculty development program. Using a mixed-methods approach, the products of project work, the academic productivity of program graduates, and the impact of projects on career development were analyzed. Faculty who achieved the most progress on their projects reported the highest number of academic products related to their project and the highest number of overall academic achievements. Faculty perceived that their project had three major effects on their professional development: production of a tangible outcome, development of a career focus, and development of relationships with mentors and peers. On the basis of these findings and a review of the literature, the authors conclude that projects are an essential element of a faculty development program. Projects provide a foundation for future academic success by enabling junior faculty to develop and hone knowledge and skills, identify a career focus and gain recognition within their community, generate scholarship, allocate time to academic work, and establish supportive relationships and collaborative networks. A list of best practices to successfully incorporate projects within faculty development programs is provided.