Mindfulness and academic performance in medical students: a narrative review of the evidence

Abstract

This article presents a narrative review of scientific literature on the relationship between mindfulness, psychological well-being, and academic performance in medical students. A search was conducted in the Scopus, APA PsycNET y Web of Science (WoS), databases, covering the period 2011–2024, a timeframe defined by the consolidation of empirical research on mindfulness in medical education and the increasing production of evidence in this area up to the search closing date. Systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and empirical studies relevant to medical training were included. The analyzed evidence shows a high prevalence of stress, anxiety, and academic burnout in medical students, particularly in the Chilean context, which has prompted the exploration of mindfulness-based psychoeducational interventions. The reviewed studies indicate that mindfulness and self-compassion practices are consistently associated with reductions in stress, anxiety, and burnout, as well as improvements in emotional self-regulation, sustained attention, clinical empathy, and psychological well-being factors closely linked to meaningful learning and academic engagement. At the neurocognitive level, the literature describes functional changes in attentional and executive control networks that could mediate these benefits. While direct evidence on the impact on academic performance is still limited, the findings suggest the potential value of mindfulness as a cross-cutting strategy to promote holistic academic performance and a more humane and sustainable medical education, although more methodologically rigorous studies are needed to draw definitive conclusions.