Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Empathy

Empathy

Some researchers suggest that altruism operates on empathy. Empathy is the capacity to understand another person’s perspective, to feel what he or she feels. An empathetic person makes an emotional connection with others and feels compelled to help (Batson, 1991). Empathy can be expressed in several ways, including cognitive, affective, and motor.

Techniques of therapeutic communication I: Active Listening, Sharing Observations, Validation, and Using Touch

Techniques of therapeutic communication I: Active Listening, Sharing Observations, Validation, and Using Touch

The history of therapeutic communication can be traced back to Florence Nightingale, who emphasized the importance of developing trusting relationships with patients. She taught that the presence of nurses with patients results in therapeutic healing.
Therapeutic communication is not the same as social interaction. Social interaction has no goal or purpose and consists of casual information sharing, whereas therapeutic communication has a plan or purpose for the conversation. Therapeutic...

Techniques of Therapeutic Communication II: Focusing, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing

Techniques of Therapeutic Communication II: Focusing, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing

Focusing involves centering a conversation on a message's critical elements or concepts. Focusing is valuable if the talk is vague or patients begin to repeat themselves. Sometimes, when patients are asked about their symptoms, they may go off-topic and try to tell their entire life story. Respectfully, the nurse should bring the conversation back into focus.
This therapeutic technique can also be used when a patient brings up pertinent information during a health-related conversation. The...

Cognitive Development During Adolescence

Cognitive Development During Adolescence

During adolescence, individuals experience significant cognitive development that enhances their understanding of others' emotions and thoughts, known as cognitive empathy. This period is marked by an increased ability to adapt to others' perspectives and a more nuanced understanding of others' mental states, a skill that is foundational for social problem-solving and conflict avoidance. The development of cognitive empathy relies heavily on the theory of mind — the...

The Scientific Method

The Scientific Method

Research is what makes the difference between facts and opinions. Facts are observable realities, and opinions are personal judgments, conclusions, or attitudes that may or may not be accurate. In the scientific community, facts can be established only using evidence collected through empirical research.

Ethical Issues

Ethical Issues

Nurses are essential in patient care, upholding the ethical principles of their profession and effectively navigating ethical dilemmas. Neglecting ethical issues can lead to inadequate patient care, compromised therapeutic relationships, and moral distress among healthcare workers.
Ethical Concerns in Healthcare:

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Examiner training and calibration for simulated clinical examinations: A scoping review.

Medical education·2026

Same author

Medical Students' Perspectives on Inclusivity Within Clinical Environments: A Pilot Study.

Advances in medical education and practice·2026

Same author

Determining the influence of video-based benchmarking (VBB) on examiner variability in objective structured clinical exams (OSCE): The Align study.

Medical teacher·2026

Same author

Exploring the Barriers Faced by Medical Students and the Impact of Their Involvement in a Widening Participation Charity.

Advances in medical education and practice·2026

Same author

A Small Group Interview Evaluating the Impact of a Widening Access Programme on Student Confidence and Their Medical School Applications.

Advances in medical education and practice·2025

Same author

The Clinical Teacher's Viewpoint From Classroom to Clinic: Supporting Widening Participation Students Across the Continuum of Medical Education.

The clinical teacher·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 16, 2025

Bridging the Technology Divide in the COVID-19 Era: Using Virtual Outreach to Expose Middle and High School Students to Imaging Technology

Bridging the Technology Divide in the COVID-19 Era: Using Virtual Outreach to Expose Middle and High School Students to Imaging Technology

Published on: September 28, 2022

Teaching empathy to medical students.

Gemma McNally¹, Enam Haque¹, Sarah Sharp¹

¹University of Manchester Medical School, Manchester, UK.

The Clinical Teacher

|December 23, 2022

Summary

Experiential teaching, including personal simulation and patient narratives, enhances medical students' empathy. These methods foster both emotional and cognitive understanding, improving future patient care.

More Related Videos

Setup and Execution Of the Blindfolded Code Training Exercise

Setup and Execution Of the Blindfolded Code Training Exercise

Published on: March 29, 2019

Setup and Execution of the Rapid Cycle Deliberate Practice Death Notification Curriculum

Setup and Execution of the Rapid Cycle Deliberate Practice Death Notification Curriculum

Published on: August 5, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Aug 16, 2025

Bridging the Technology Divide in the COVID-19 Era: Using Virtual Outreach to Expose Middle and High School Students to Imaging Technology

Bridging the Technology Divide in the COVID-19 Era: Using Virtual Outreach to Expose Middle and High School Students to Imaging Technology

Published on: September 28, 2022

Setup and Execution Of the Blindfolded Code Training Exercise

Setup and Execution Of the Blindfolded Code Training Exercise

Published on: March 29, 2019

Setup and Execution of the Rapid Cycle Deliberate Practice Death Notification Curriculum

Setup and Execution of the Rapid Cycle Deliberate Practice Death Notification Curriculum

Published on: August 5, 2020

Area of Science:

Medical Education
Empathy Studies
Patient-Centered Care

Background:

Empathy is crucial for patient-centered care but declines during undergraduate medical education.
Current teaching often focuses on cognitive empathy within communication skills.
There's a need for initiatives that enhance affective empathy.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the impact of experiential learning on medical students' empathy.
To assess the effectiveness of personal simulation and patient narratives in fostering empathy.

Main Methods:

A student-led workshop involved eight medical students.
Experiential approaches included personal simulation and patient narratives.
Focus group discussions analyzed student reactions and intended practice changes.

Main Results:

Both personal simulation and patient narratives generated empathic responses.
Personal simulation emphasized affective empathy.
Patient narratives provided cognitive insight into patient conditions.

Conclusions:

Brief experiential teaching can improve undergraduate medical student empathy.
Different initiatives can target various aspects of empathy.
Recommendations are provided for designing similar curricula.