Meditation, sharing help prevent burnout

Guided meditation and sharing of experiences has been shown to improve mood and decrease feelings of burnout, according to a study of primary care physicians from the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Seventy physicians in the Rochester, New York metro area participated in the yearlong study, consisting of eight weekly 150-minute sessions, an all-day session and then 10 monthly 150-minute maintenance sessions.

In surveys taken during and after the sessions, physicians reported decreased feelings of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization and improved feelings of personal accomplishment and patient empathy.