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    The Restorative Power of "Sacred Moments" in Medicine

    July 27, 2026

    Deep human connection can be a potent antidote to burnout. Here’s how to cultivate meaning in an increasingly rushed healthcare system.

    SMI Founding Director, Dr. Sanjay Saint, sat down for an interview about sacred moments with Medscape.

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  • Dr. Serena Wong, PhD

    Canada's First Hospital Joins the Global Sacred Moments Initiative

    June 24, 2026

    In health care, it is often the smallest moments that carry the greatest meaning — a quiet conversation with a patient, a shared reflection with colleagues, or a hand held in silence. These brief yet powerful connections remind health care workers why they chose the profession.

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  • Podcast promotional graphic featuring episode 11 of 'Well-Being at Michigan Medicine' with Dr. Elizabeth Harry and Dr. Sanjay Saint, focusing on human connection in health care. It includes headshots of Elizabeth Harry, MD, and Sanjay Saint, MD, MPH, with options to listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

    Sacred Moments: Human Connection in Healthcare and Well-Being

    July 15, 2025

    Dr. Elizabeth Harry interviews Dr. Sanjay Saint about his Sacred Moments Initiative, which highlights profound connections between patients and caregivers that combat burnout and remind clinicians why they entered healthcare. Dr. Saint discusses creating environments that invite presence and healing, normalizing these transformative human experiences in medical care.

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  • A healthcare worker wearing a lab coat, hairnet, face mask, and shoe covers, sitting on a medical examination table with his head bowed and hands clasped, in a clinical setting with medical equipment in the background.

    Analyzing the Sacred Moments That Heal the Healers

    June 25, 2025

    A groundbreaking study reveals how deeply meaningful patient connections can significantly reduce physician burnout, but most doctors aren't discussing these transformative experiences with colleagues. Research involving 629 internal medicine physicians shows that those who experience "sacred moments" with patients have dramatically lower burnout rates, yet nearly three-quarters never share these profound interactions that could help restore purpose and meaning in medical practice.

    Article
  • A male doctor smiling and talking with a patient in a consultation room.

    Do Doctors Need More 'Sacred Moments' in Medicine?

    June 6, 2025

    MedPage Today features research on 'sacred moments' in medicine and their role in reducing physician burnout. The article highlights findings from a JAMA Network Open study by Jessica Ameling, MPH, and colleagues showing that doctors who experience and discuss meaningful patient interactions have lower rates of burnout.

    Article
  • Doctor consulting with a patient in a hospital room.

    Experiencing Sacred Moments Is Common for Internal Medicine Doctors

    June 5, 2025

    HealthDay covers University of Michigan research by Jessica Ameling, M.P.H., on 'sacred moments' in medicine, reporting that while most internal medicine doctors experience meaningful patient connections, discussing them with colleagues could help reduce burnout.

    Article
  • A promotional banner for a healthcare webinar features three men with light skin in professional attire. The man on the left is wearing a white lab coat with a University of Michigan logo, glasses, and a patterned tie. The middle man is wearing glasses, a dark suit, and a blue shirt. The man on the right has short gray hair and is dressed in a suit with a striped tie. The text on the banner reads: "Caring for Hospitalized Patients: Introducing the Sacred Moments Initiative," scheduled for Tuesday, March 25, 2025, from 1-2 PM Central Time. The lower part of the banner includes a red logo and the phrase "Transforming Chaplaincy" with the tagline "Advancing Spiritual Care Through Research."

    Sacred Moments: Transforming Chaplaincy Through Human Connection

    March 25, 2025

    Dr. Sanjay Saint and Dr. Kenneth Pargament dive into the science and soul of sacred moments — revealing how deep connections in hospital care can renew purpose and transform chaplaincy.

    Video
  • Cover image for the book 'The Mentoring Guide'

    Mentorship in a Time of Uncertainty: Building Resilience Through Connection

    March 11, 2025

    The article highlights the power of mentorship in University of Michigan research, showing how meaningful connections build resilience, confidence, and success amid uncertainty.

    Article
  • A line drawing of a hospital room with an adjustable bed, medical equipment, a shower, and a window, overlaid with the text 'Sacred Moments' and the names Joy Knoblauch, Jonathan Rule, and Michelle Aebersold.

    Designing for Sacred Moments: Nursing, Architecture, and the Healing Power of Space

    Through an innovative collaboration at the University of Michigan, faculty explore how virtual reality and interdisciplinary design can create hospital environments that foster Sacred Moments — deeply human, healing experiences between patients and caregivers.

    Article