About the Mindfulness for Medical Trainees Program

FAQs for participants and referring clinicians

Who can register for this mindfulness group program?

These mindfulness groups are available to medical students and medical residents in British Columbia, with a valid BC personal health number (PHN) which allows for medical services plan (MSP) coverage.

You will need a referral from your primary health provider (family physician or nurse practitioner) to enrol in the group. At this time, this particular group is not available to the general public, or to medical trainees outside of British Columbia.

Is this group completely free for participants?

Yes, this group is 100% covered by MSP, so it is offered at no cost to participants. To register, you'll need a referral from your family physician or NP. (If you don't have a primary care provider, please connect with the Primary Care Provider Matching Service via Doctors of BC to help you find a family physician while you're in training.)

Are these groups offered in-person or virtually?

These groups will be offered virtually, to allow for participation across the province from medical trainees at distributed sites.

Who created this mindfulness group program?

This group has been developed by a UBC-trained psychiatrist with additional post-graduate training in evidence-based mindfulness therapies, including mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), mindful self-compassion (MSC), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). As an active instructor engaged in clinical and didactic teaching, they have insight into the unique challenges of medical training.

I'm a Canadian med student or resident based in another province/territory. Can I participate in this program?

Unfortunately, at this time, medical trainees outside of British Columbia are not currently eligible to participate in this program.

I'm a practicing physician based in British Columbia. Can I participate in this program?

At this time, this program is designed solely for medical trainees. However, if there is enough interest from attending physicians, the program may be expanded to have dedicated groups for practicing physicians. Please sign up at this survey link to be notified if groups for attending physicians are launched.

I've been referred to the Mindfulness for Medical Trainees program by my family doctor or NP. What happens next?

• Once your referral has been accepted, you'll receive an email to the address on your referral form, inviting you to create a profile on our secure patient portal. Please ensure that you share a current, active email address for your referring physician to include on your referral form, as all program bookings and information are provided via email.
• When you complete your online patient profile form, you'll be asked to share your preferred time slots for upcoming intakes. We will make every effort to offer you registration in your preferred group, depending on registration numbers.
• If none of the current offered time slots work for your schedule, you can opt-in to be notified about future offerings of the program.
• If you're not able to register for a group intake within 6 months of being referred by your physician/NP, a new referral will be required.

Who would benefit most from this program?

Participants with a PHQ-9 score of 18 or lower who are dealing with stress related to medical training (this may include adjustment disorder, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, exacerbation of chronic medical conditions (including chronic pain), and/or attention regulation difficulties) are eligible for referral.

What are the eligibility requirements for this program?

To participate in this virtual group psychotherapy program, patients must (inclusion criteria):

• Be a current medical trainee (medical student, resident, or fellow), based in British Columbia, with active MSP coverage.
• Be motivated to attend in a group training format.
• Consent to receive registration info via email, including online booking.
• Have access to reliable technology and a private space for virtual group sessions.
• Be able to complete weekly homework practice.
• Be between the ages of 19 and 65 inclusive.

This program would not be a good fit for patients with (exclusion criteria):

• Active substance use which may impact ability to participate.
• Personality disorder/traits which may impact ability to participate.
• Severe depression/anxiety which may impact ability to participate.
• Cognitive impairment which may impact ability to participate.
• Current or recent (within last 12 months) active suicidality.
• History of psychosis or mania.

What are the limits of the group psychotherapy model, and how does this impact MRP status?

This group psychotherapy training program is not designed for patients with severe/unstable mental health conditions, or for those patients requiring immediate crisis intervention for psychiatric or medical concerns. The patient's primary care provider (family physician or nurse practitioner) agrees to remain responsible for any individualized or crisis care needs.

The referral form allows for a different physician from the referring physician to be listed as MRP, such as when a specialist physician makes the referral. In this case, please ensure that the patient's primary care provider is aware of this referral and amenable to remaining MRP.

How do I make a referral to the Mindfulness for Medical Trainees program?

If you're a family physician, NP, or specialist who would like to refer a patient to the Mindfulness for Medical Trainees program, please download the PDF referral form and fax the completed form to 250-412-6457. Thanks for your support of our trainees!