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[Studies on empathy in doctors and medical students]
1Katedra i Zakład Medycyny Rodzinnej Akademii Medycznej w Gdańsku.
Summary
Future family physicians exhibit the highest emotional empathy among medical professionals. Paediatricians and psychiatrists show the greatest cognitive empathy, while internists and gynaecologists score lowest in cognitive empathy.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Psychology
- Healthcare Communication
Context:
- Empathy is crucial for effective doctor-patient relationships and understanding patient psychological states.
- Physician empathy levels can vary significantly across different medical specializations.
- Assessing empathy in physicians is vital for improving patient care and medical training.
Purpose:
- To evaluate and compare the levels of emotional and cognitive empathy in physicians across various specializations and medical students.
- To identify specific medical fields where empathy is most pronounced or deficient.
Summary:
- A study assessed empathy in paediatricians, psychiatrists, oncologists, gynaecologists, internists, family medicine residents, and final-year medical students using two validated questionnaires.
- Future family physicians demonstrated the highest emotional empathy, significantly higher than internists and gynaecologists.
- Paediatricians, psychiatrists, and family doctors exhibited the highest cognitive empathy, whereas internists and gynaecologists showed the lowest levels.
Impact:
- Findings highlight the need for targeted empathy training in medical education, particularly for specialties with lower scores.
- Understanding empathy variations can inform strategies to enhance doctor-patient communication and psychological support.
- This research contributes to the body of knowledge on physician attributes essential for patient-centered care.