On the first Thursday of each month from 10:30 a.m. until 11:20 a.m, the Behavioral Medicine faculty conducts Balint Group with Family Medicine Residents in their second year. Balint Group is based on an experiential model in which residents meet once a month to discuss, process, and examine the physician-patient relationship. During this time, group members listen to the presenting physician's story while concentrating specifically on the doctor-patient relationship. The primary goal of Balint Group is to assist the physician in understanding the relationship between physicians and their patients, as opposed to advising the physician on options for treatment.
The Balint Group process is unique in that difficult situations can be processed in a non-threatening manner so that pertinent information about patients' feelings may be discerned. This group experience provides an opportunity for residents to become more comfortable with feelings of uncertainty and complexity without feeling pressured to arrive at a resolution. Furthermore, the Balint Group process encourages residents to be more self-aware and self-reflective about ways in which they interact with patients on occasions when it is important to examine these emotions. (Retrieved on the American Balint Society website:
http://familymed.musc.edu/balint/index.html, June 8, 2005; STFM Conference, September 2005) .
For additional information about Balint Group and the ACGME Competencies, please feel free to visit the
American Balint Society website.
