Relationships between spirituality and wellness among prospective physicians

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between spirituality and wellness in a population of prospective physicians. The subjects were first (n = 47) and second (n = 30) year medical students at a north Texas medical school. Each subject completed the Spiritual Involvement and Beliefs Scale (SIBS, r = .92 and Cronbach's Alpha = .92) and the Duke Health Profile (the Duke, r = .78). A statistically significant correlation between wellness and spirituality was detected in the second year group (p = .006), but not in the first year group of prospective physicians (See Tables 2, and 5). Current research suggests that a relationship clearly exists between spiritual health and an individual's wellness. This investigation emphasized spiritual health and its relationship to individual wellness for this population group. In this paper, the reader will find an extensive reference list, a review of the literature, a description of the study, a statistical summary, and a description of a recommended direction for future research. In the field of health education and health promotion it is evident that spirituality, as an integral part of wellness and an area of growing interest, must be investigated and more thoroughly explored.