Students' Use of Mindfulness During Full-Scale Immersive Simulation Training: A Qualitative Analysis

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Simulation-Based Learning
• Mindfulness Interventions

Background:

• Mindfulness training is increasingly integrated into medical curricula.
• Its application in high-intensity simulation settings is underexplored.
• This study examines mindfulness use by medical students during a military simulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how medical students utilized mindfulness strategies during a high-stress military simulation.
• To understand the impact of mindfulness on stress management, focus, and performance in this context.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative secondary analysis of survey responses from 96 medical students.
• Phenomenologically informed thematic analysis of a single open-ended survey question.
• Identification of patterns in mindfulness strategy application during the simulation.

Main Results:

• Emergence of three key themes: increased leadership capabilities, enhanced physical and emotional resilience, and improved team cohesion.
• Students reported using mindfulness to manage stress and sustain focus.
• Mindfulness application supported both personal and team performance during the exercise.

Conclusions:

• Brief, low-burden mindfulness strategies can aid stress management and performance in high-intensity simulations.
• Findings suggest potential benefits for medical learners in demanding training environments.
• Further research with robust methods and objective measures is recommended for broader implementation.