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Chapter 4.6 - Balint Groups for Medical Students

from Section 4 - Formal Teaching

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 October 2022

Patrick Hughes
Affiliation:
NHS Forth Valley
Julie Langan Martin
Affiliation:
University of Glasgow
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Summary

There has been increasing emphasis on reflective practice throughout the NHS and in medical training, and this is cited as an essential skill by the GMC. There are many different models of reflective practice, but that used for medical students across the UK is the Balint model. Balint groups employ a particular structured approach to reflective practice and focus on the emotional aspects of the student/doctor–patient relationship. The structure of the groups and stance of the leadership provides a space to think about patients holistically and to explore the feelings that the patient evokes in the presenter and the group members. In medical student groups some modifications to traditional Balint groups may be made, with leaders taking a more active role in the discussion and accommodating wider concerns of the students beyond the student–patient relationship but which are of emotional relevance to them – for example their role as students in the treating team and their development as future doctors.

There is evidence that medical student participation in Balint groups can increase empathy, understanding of the doctor–patient relationship, and student communication skills.

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Chapter
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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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References

References

Airagnes, G., Consoli, S. M., De Morlhon, O., Galliot, A-M. Lemogne, C., and Jaury, P. (2014). Appropriate training based on Balint groups can improve the empathic abilities of medical students: A preliminary study Journal of Psychosomatic Research 76: 426–9.Google Scholar
Balint, M. (1957). The Doctor, His Patient and the Illness. International Universities Press.Google Scholar
Du Vaure, C. B., Lemogne, C., Bunge, L., et al. (2017). Promoting empathy among medical students: A two-site randomized controlled study Journal of Psychosomatic Research. Dec; 103: 102–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2017.10.008. Epub 2017 Oct 17.Google Scholar
General Medical Council (2015). Promoting excellence: Standards for medical education and training. Code GMC/PE/0715 (London, United Kingdom).Google Scholar
Torppa, M. A., Makkohen, E., Mårtenson, C., and Pitkälä, K. H. (2008). A qualitative analysis of student Balint groups in medical education: Contexts and triggers of case presentations and discussion themes. Patient Education and Counselling. Jul; 72 (1): 511. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2008.01.012. Epub 2008 Mar 4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yazdankhahfard, M., Haghani, F., and Omid, A. (2019). The Balint group and its application in medical education: A systematic review. Journal of Education and Health Promotion. 8: 124.Google ScholarPubMed
More information about Balint groups is available on the UK Balint Society website http://balint.co.uk/, including a short video made by medical students from Sheffield University (https://balint.co.uk/medical-students/).Google Scholar
Internationally, the Balint Society of Australia and New Zealand and the American Balint Society websites also provide a wealth of information: www.balintaustralianewzealand.org/; https://americanbalintsociety.org/.Google Scholar
More information about Balint groups is available on the UK Balint Society website http://balint.co.uk/, including a short video made by medical students from Sheffield University (https://balint.co.uk/medical-students/).Google Scholar
Internationally, the Balint Society of Australia and New Zealand and the American Balint Society websites also provide a wealth of information: www.balintaustralianewzealand.org/; https://americanbalintsociety.org/.Google Scholar

Further Online Resources

More information about Balint groups is available on the UK Balint Society website http://balint.co.uk/, including a short video made by medical students from Sheffield University (https://balint.co.uk/medical-students/).Google Scholar
Internationally, the Balint Society of Australia and New Zealand and the American Balint Society websites also provide a wealth of information: www.balintaustralianewzealand.org/; https://americanbalintsociety.org/.Google Scholar

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