Intensive medical student support groups: format, outcome, and leadership guidelines

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Psychology
• Sociology

Background:

• Annual off-campus retreats provide a unique setting for professional and personal development.
• Process-oriented discussion groups are utilized to foster interaction and self-awareness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a five-year experience with process-oriented discussion groups at student-faculty retreats.
• To assess participant satisfaction and identify key factors contributing to successful group experiences.

Main Methods:

• A five-year retrospective analysis of annual four-day retreats.
• Inclusion of students, faculty, and significant others in process-oriented discussion groups (17 hours per retreat).
• Post-retreat questionnaires administered one to two months after the event.

Main Results:

• Participants highly rated the group experiences.
• A balance between structured group time and unstructured interaction/recreation was deemed important.
• Students reported enhanced self-awareness, and all participants valued the role-free setting for inter-professional interaction.
• Effective group leader behaviors included active participation, facilitation of communication, and responsiveness to group needs.

Conclusions:

• Process-oriented discussion groups at retreats are effective for enhancing self-awareness and interpersonal skills.
• Balancing structured group activities with ample unstructured time is crucial for participant satisfaction.
• Facilitative and responsive leadership is key to successful group dynamics in educational retreats.