Objective: This article presents major concepts and research findings from the field of psychosomatic medicine that the authors believe should be taught to all medical students.
Method: The authors asked senior scholars involved in psychosomatic medicine to summarize key findings in their respective fields.
Results: The authors provide an overview of the field and summarize core research in basic psychophysiological mechanisms-central nervous system/autonomic nervous system, psychoneuroimmunology, and psychoendocrinology-in three major disease states-cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and HIV virus infections.
Conclusions: Understanding the core scientific concepts and research findings of psychosomatic medicine should provide medical trainees with a scientific foundation for practicing medicine within a biopsychosocial model of care.