The Science of Compassion and its Practical Application to Pre-Medical Education, Medical Education and Clinical Practice

Dr. Vachon will provide an overview of the cutting-edge work of compassion science and how to use it in training and practice to improve patient care and clinician well-being. Among the topics will be the neuroscience of empathy and the myth of emotional detachment; the clinician compassion mindset process based on the neurocognitive distinction between empathy and compassion; the model of balanced compassionate caring helping clinicians find the zone between emotional detachment and emotional over-involvement in patient care; and the organizational and individual factors necessary to sustain this compassionate caring and prevent burnout.