The Faculty of Medicine at the University of Montpellier is introducing a new teaching unit (UE) focusing on empathy and mental health for medical students.

World Well-Being Day, celebrated on June 12, is an opportunity to discover the new "savoir-être et communication thérapeutique" teaching unit at the Montpellier-Nîmes Faculty of Medicine. Initiated by Doctor Amandine Luquiens and Professor Céline Bourgier, the teaching program focuses on empathy, and offers students courses such as an introduction to meditation, theater workshops and simulation workshops. A unique pedagogy on which students will be assessed as part of their curriculum.

Why teach well-being?

Since 2020, as part of their Certificate of Clinical Competence (C3), medical students have been assessed on the skills they have acquired during their internships, and more specifically on their interpersonal skills and empathy. Dr Amandine Luquiens and Pr Céline Bourgier have joined forces to pilot this innovative teaching project, after noting that to date, no teaching had been entirely dedicated to the development of these particular skills, and that students' empathy tended to wane throughout their studies. The aim is to enable students to take care of themselves, just as the University and Faculty do for them.

A project focused on student well-being

This new teaching unit is a real asset for students, both for their personal and professional well-being. The modules are designed to help students feel mentally well. Structured around 4 main themes - "initiation to meditation", "exchange of practice", "therapeutic communication" and "combating stigmatization in care" - the UE not only frees up students to speak out, but also helps them to better understand communication within a team. Through workshops, theoretical courses and presentations by former students, students are given the tools they need to prevent psycho-social risks, both to patients and to themselves. Among other things, this teaching enables them to develop the skills needed to enhance the quality of care, by instilling in them an approach centered on the person and not just on symptoms and pathologies.

" We're looking to acculturate our students, and indeed the Faculty as a whole. The Faculty takes care of its students and these students, and they must take care of themselves. So we're going to help them grasp the tools that go hand in hand with protecting themselves, but also with curbing 'emotional suppression': a management strategy that doctors have been using for many years to deal with the patient-caregiver relationship," emphasizes Dr. Amandine Luquiens.

Wellness: a global vision of the Faculty for its students

The introduction of the " savoir être et communication thérapeutique" course as part of the medical curriculum is an innovative teaching initiative that forms part of a global approach to the well-being of medical students. Since 2013, a theater workshop has been organized in collaboration with the École Nationale Supérieure d'Art Dramatique de Montpellier to prepare students for a difficult announcement.

In addition, a week dedicated to well-being and relaxation called "Pep's Week" is organized every year by the Tutorat Santé Montpellier association for PASS and LAS students. Each year, the association organizes a variety of activities, including yoga sessions, board games and a sophrology workshop, with qualified guest speakers providing an opportunity for students and tutors to share and exchange ideas.

Proof, if proof were needed, that the Faculty focuses on the well-being of all: from professional know-how, with better mastery of relations between peers and with patients; to individual well-being, for a better personal balance.

Practical information:

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