“I realized I was not alone . . .” 

That was one of the shared reflections during a group project aimed at reducing stress and burnout in a medical school environment. The project, inspired by the South African philosophy of Ubuntu, began in the fall of 2021 at USC School of Medicine Greenville (SOMG). 

Participants were asked to share both positive and challenging life stories during meetings with their peers held either in-person or virtually. In March 2024, results from a mixed-method study that tracked the group gatherings was published in the international academic journal Medical Teacher.

The findings were significant: small groups harnessing the humanity and connectedness of Ubuntu provide a meaningful way to decrease burnout and social isolation, while building community and a sense of belonging among both medical school faculty, staff, and future-physicians-in-training. 

By bringing healthcare professionals together to foster connections, stress can be reduced and positive feelings of belonging increased, according to the investigation conducted at SOMG. 

The group gatherings improved the wellbeing of participants “and thus helped them go out afterwards and carry out their duties either as a medical student, faculty or staff member,” said Joel Burt-Miller, a fourth-year medical student at SOMG and the lead author and principal investigator on the study.

 The article in Medical Teacher was co-authored by SOMG medical students and faculty including: Joel F. Burt-Miller, Mina Rismani, Alexis Hopkins, Taylor Cunningham, Daniel Farquharson, Ana Gabriela Balcázar, Dr. Renee J. Chosed, Dr. Brooks McPhail, Dr. Lisa Green, and Dr. Ann Blair Kennedy. Melanie C. Gordon, of Furman University, was also a co-author on the article.

Healthcare providers experience higher rates of workplace burnout, a reality highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. During the study — conducted in the fall of 2021, as COVID continued to require remote learning, social isolation, and mask-wearing — small groups, inspired by South African philosophy of Ubuntu, were introduced to decrease burnout and social isolation, and create connections to community. The co-authors monitored the groups in order to examine how participation in these groups can impacted overall wellbeing. 

In one powerful example, a small group in the Ubuntu project that was comprised of pre-clinical faculty, clinical faculty (physicians who teach at SOMG) and staff participants reported a 20% decrease in burnout. 

The study had profound positive impacts on medical students, medical academic faculty, clinical faculty, and staff at SOMG. Both virtual and in-person groups had positive impactful results on wellbeing, says Burt-Miller. 

The mixed-methods study demonstrated statistically significant decreases in social isolation among participants and revealed nuanced effects on burnout levels, with faculty/staff experiencing a reduction, while student participants showed increased feelings of belonging. These findings underscore the power of community, connection, and shared humanity in addressing some of the most pressing issues facing our healthcare workforce and educators today.

Ubuntu essentially means togetherness. 

Burt-Miller first experienced Ubuntu when he traveled to South Africa in 2015 during a student abroad learning experience. Burt-Miller said, “The South African philosophy of Ubuntu means ‘I am because you are.’ No matter who you are. Where you are from. We are connected by our humanity.” 

The Ubuntu Healing Project was designed to be delivered in eight weekly one-hour meetings; yet meetings can occur every other week, if necessary. For each meeting, facilitators sent a discussion prompt to their group 24 hours before the meeting to allow participants time to prepare their personal stories in advance. Prompts encouraged stories about both positive and challenging person experiences. Once themes and thoughts were discussed, participants were then asked how they might take those messages and themes back into the medical school environment. 

Dr. Ann Blair Kennedy, associate professor at the School of Medicine Greenville, and faculty advisor on the Ubuntu Healing Project, notes that the research “not only showcases the effectiveness of Ubuntu groups in enhancing well-being among this population, but also sets a new standard for community and connection in medical settings.”