[Studies on empathy in doctors and medical students]

Empathy is an expected attribute improving doctor-patient relationship. It also helps to understand psychological problems of patients. This paper describes a research study on empathy in physicians of different specializations. The study population included paediatricians, psychiatrists, oncologists, gynaecologists, internists, residents of family medicine and final-year-medical students. In order to evaluate empathic abilities in doctors and students two questionnaires were applied. Both estimate the level of emotional and cognitive empathy. Results indicated the highest empathic abilities in future family physicians, especially in its emotional aspect. Comparing them to internists and gynaecologists, the difference is of statistical significance. The highest level of cognitive empathy characterizes in order: paediatricians, psychiatrists and family doctors. Comparing to other specializations, internal medicine doctors and gynaecologists proved to be physicians of the lowest cognitive empathy.