Empathy Training Seminar in the Military Health System: A Qualitative Self-Assessment Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Healthcare Professional Development
• Clinical Skills Training

Background:

• Empathy and compassion are vital for quality patient care but are underrepresented in medical education.
• No established guidelines exist for integrating empathy training into medical curricula.
• This study focused on developing and piloting a novel empathy training workshop.

Purpose of the Study:

• To pilot a workshop designed to enhance functional empathy skills and awareness in medical students, residents, and fellows.
• To assess the immediate and 1-month impact of the empathy workshop on self-assessed empathy competencies.
• To evaluate participant feedback on the workshop's curriculum and perceived efficacy.

Main Methods:

• A 1-hour virtual workshop on empathy was delivered monthly to rotating trainees at the Walter Reed Pain Clinic.
• The workshop included preparatory readings, a simulation video, and a facilitated case discussion.
• Participant empathy was assessed via pre-workshop, immediate post-workshop, and 1-month follow-up surveys.

Main Results:

• Significant improvement in self-assessed empathy was observed 1 month after the workshop.
• 94% of participants would recommend the workshop, and 76% plan to change their practice.
• 31% of participants identified actionable empathetic behaviors to implement.

Conclusions:

• The empathy workshop effectively enhances medical learners' empathy and compassion in clinical settings.
• Learner feedback and 1-month follow-up data support the workshop's efficacy.
• Future research should involve larger, multi-specialty populations and patient-centered outcomes to further validate empathy training.