Altern Ther Health Med. 1997 Nov; 3(6): 54-61.

Creating a spirituality curriculum for family practice residents.

Silverman HD.

American Centers for Health and Medicine in Phoenix, Ariz., USA.

The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate issues related to the creation of a curriculum to teach spirituality to family practice residents; specifically, (1) to determine whether there was support among family practice residents and faculty to include such teaching in the residency curriculum, and (2) to determine specifically what should be taught and how it should be taught. The hypothesis was that residents and faculty would support such a curriculum and that specific educational methodologies could be identified to implement it. This was accomplished by conducting one-on-one interviews and focus groups and by administering a written curriculum needs assessment to family practice residents and faculty, compiling and interpreting the results, and subsequently writing an integrated curriculum.