The Graduate Medical Education (GME) program at Mercy Health — St. Rita’s Medical Center prepares young physicians to handle the rigors of the profession. Your gift helps them understand the role faith can play in patient outcomes.

Dr. David Eapen enrolled in an elective course on spiritual care. It has helped him develop a deeper understanding of patient priorities and goals.

“Chaplain services provide comfort to patients and their families,” Dr. Eapen says. “Whether they are receiving routine care or experiencing a particularly stressful event, there is an encouraging presence here at St. Rita’s.”

Students in the course work alongside chaplains in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Through hands-on experience, they develop an understanding of spiritual language and how to engage with patients thoughtfully. This training helps them better communicate with patients in group therapy settings and psychosocial consults.

“We’ve also explored concepts such as miracles and grief. We learn how to relate to those from a different faith and how to assess a patient’s spirituality,” he says. “It has led to better care coordination to help honor patients’ wishes and their faith.”

Dr. Eapen appreciates your support of this course. He says all the residents are grateful for donor-supported programs that help them become better physicians.

“The spiritual care team has a long-standing tradition of providing compassionate care to those in our community,” he says. “With this class, we’ve learned how to collaborate with the spiritual care team. We now incorporate compassionate care into our daily practice.”