Exploring the Effects of Sookshma Meditation on the Academic Performance, Autonomic Modulation, and Stress Levels in First-Year Medical Students in an Eastern Indian Private College

The performance of medical students in various assessments varies due to a myriad of factors. Before the implementation of Competency-based Medical Education (CBME), the teaching learning activities as well as the assessment methods mainly emphasized knowledge rather than skills. The contemporary curriculum of medical education is a multifaceted strategy that covers all aspects of attitude, communication, interdisciplinary teamwork, skills, and the capacity to implement evidence- and system-based care which is necessary to ensure the effective and efficient delivery of healthcare. Because of this, our assessment methods need to be comprehensive,

dependable, and robust enough to test for core knowledge and abilities in addition to evaluating these crucial traits.[1] Earlier to CBME, the evaluation of the medical students was primarily by way of summative assessment. With the implementation of CBME, the assessment methods have seen a new perspective in which formative assessments play a pivotal role in shaping the Indian Medical Graduate. Any assessment poses varying amounts of stress among students. Various studies by Stewart SM et al., (1999), Singh G et al., (2004), and Wilkisos TJ et al., (2006) reported that medical undergraduates encounter stress during their academic journey.[2,3,4] Stress that the student endures could stem from various sources. A study by Siraj HH et al., (2014) reported that high levels of stress were attributed to academic-related and social-related stressors.[5] Another study by Gupta S et al., (2015) ascribed the stress faced by medical students to primarily academic reasons.[6] The cognitive function of first-year medical students was found to be impaired as they face examinations as stressors, according to a study by Pradhan G et al., (2014). [7] Further, there is evidence of alterations in the sympatho vagal balance among the students due to stress. Heart rate variability (HRV) and mental stress have been the subject of numerous research, with a special emphasis on fluctuations in HRV among healthy university students during exam times. Stress disrupts the balance of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) with sympathetic dominance.[8] The coping mechanisms to overcome academic stress among medical students include various yoga and meditation practices.[9] However there is no evidence of the effect of Sookshma meditation on the coping levels of stress among medical students. It is essential to bridge the gap in literature regarding the effects of Sookshma meditation which may have a myriad of benefits for medical students, including enhancements in physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual well-being as well as general health.