Experiencing Sacred Moments Is Common for Internal Medicine Doctors
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, June 5, 2025 -- For internal medicine physicians, experiencing sacred moments (brief periods of meaningful connection between clinician and patient) is common, but discussing them with colleagues is rare, according to a study published online May 30 in JAMA Network Open.
Jessica Ameling, M.P.H., from the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, and colleagues examined the prevalence, associated factors, and potential benefits of sacred moments among physicians in a cross-sectional national survey of randomly selected U.S. internal medicine physicians. Physician characteristics, burnout, and factors hypothesized to be protective against burnout were examined.
A total of 629 physicians completed a survey; the physicians spent a median of 23 years practicing. The researchers found that 424 of 626 respondents (67.7 percent) reported experiencing a sacred moment with a patient; 4.5 percent often or always discussed these experiences with colleagues. Considering oneself a very spiritual person and having a strong sense of purpose in life and work were factors associated with the greatest increased odds of experiencing a sacred moment (odds ratios, 2.23, 1.94, and 1.94, respectively). Respondents experiencing sacred moments a few times a year or more frequently had lower odds of extreme burnout compared with those experiencing sacred moments less often (odds ratio, 0.29). Lower odds of burnout were seen in association with discussing sacred moments with colleagues (odds ratio, 0.62).
"Understanding sacred moment experiences and encouraging discussion with professional colleagues should be encouraged," the authors write.
One author disclosed ties to Doximity and Jvion.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted June 2025
Read this next
Myocardial Fibrosis Linked to Ventricular Arrhythmia in Male Endurance Athletes
TUESDAY, July 22, 2025 -- Myocardial fibrosis is independently associated with the onset of ventricular arrhythmia in male veteran endurance athletes, according to a study...
Digital Model Based on Noninvasive Factors Shows Accuracy for Identifying IBD in Children
TUESDAY, July 22, 2025 -- A model based on noninvasive tests shows high accuracy as a digital tool for the rapid identification of children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)...
Prevalence of Extremely Severe Obesity Increasing in Children
TUESDAY, July 22, 2025 -- From 2008 to 2023, there was an increase in the prevalence of extremely severe obesity in children, especially among older adolescents and non-Hispanic...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.