Facilitators and barriers of the integration of spirituality into medical education: A situation analysis

Background & Objective: Spirituality is regarded as an essential aspect of health, and therefore, it should be incorporated into medical education to foster a holistic understanding of health and to develop fully competent medical professionals. Despite the significance of incorporating spiritual issues into medical education, there has been limited research conducted on this topic in Iran. Various barriers have hindered the implementation of spiritually enriched medical education; however, there are also some factors that facilitate this process. This study attempted to explore the facilitators and barriers of integrating spirituality in medical education through a qualitative content analysis. Materials & Methods: This was a situation analysis designed and conducted as a directed content analysis study. The data collected from interviews with medical education experts and the review of upstream documents were analyzed, revealing findings categorized as internal and external factors. Internal factors were categorized using the McKinsey 7S framework, which includes structure, systems, strategies, skills, staff, style, and shared values. Meanwhile, external factors were classified according to the PEST model, encompassing political, economic, socio-cultural, and technological aspects. Results: The facilitators and barriers identified in this study encompassed a total of 100 concepts. We identified 27 internal and 16 external facilitators, while there were found 41 internal and 16 external barriers. Conclusion: The findings of this study clarify the steps needed to uphold the goals and missions of medical education in the area of spiritual health. Overcoming the barriers while leveraging existing facilitators will be crucial for successfully incorporating spiritual health into Iranian medical education.