THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS; EVALUATING ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, ANXIETY, BURNOUT, AND RESILIENCE

Abstract

Medical students experience high and persistent levels of psychological distress that can undermine academic performance and future professional development. This quasi-experimental longitudinal study evaluated whether structured Transcendental Meditation (TM) training improves academic performance, reduces anxiety, and enhances resilience in medical trainees. A total of 120 students from a medical college were allocated to a TM training group (n = 60; undergraduate) or a non-intervention control group (n = 60; postgraduate). TM participants completed a standardized multi-day instructor-led course followed by guided practice; controls continued usual academic activity. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and follow-ups using cumulative grade point average (CGPA)/standardized exam scores, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-10 (CD-RISC-10). Group comparisons used independent-samples t tests; within-group change used paired t tests; longitudinal patterns were explored with repeated-measures analysis the TM group showed large post-training improvements: lower anxiety, higher CGPA, and higher resilience. Within-group analyses in the TM cohort demonstrated substantial pre–post gains that were sustained and, for anxiety and resilience, appeared to continue improving over follow-up. Although effect sizes were unusually large and interpretation is tempered by nonrandom group allocation, age/training-level differences, and measurement limitations, findings suggest TM may represent a feasible, low-cost, non-pharmacological strategy to support mental well-being and academic functioning in medical education. Larger randomized, stratified, multi-site trials with standardized academic metrics and full reporting of adherence and burnout outcomes were warranted.