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

Empathy and compassion are critical aspects of quality patient care. However, empathy is currently underrepresented in medical education. Currently, no guidelines exist for integrating empathy training into medical schools or residency programs. The goal of this study was to pilot a workshop for medical students, residents, and fellows designed to enhance functional empathy skills and awareness. The relationship between physician empathy and improved patient outcomes is well-documented in the literature and is not the focus of this manuscript. This study concentrates on the development of new empathy training and its integration into the medical curriculum.

The participants were medical students, residents, and fellows who rotated through the Walter Reed Pain Clinic. All participants attended a 1-h virtual workshop via an online platform focused on empathy. The workshop was composed of preparatory reading materials, a simulation video, and a case discussion led by three facilitators. This workshop occurred once a month and each rotation included a different set of attendees. A total of 13 monthly seminars were run from May 2023 to August 2024. The impact of this activity was measured with a series of three surveys, which asked learners to directly assess the efficacy of the workshop and to self-evaluate their competencies in key areas. There was a pre-workshop survey to establish a baseline for participants' empathy self-assessments, an immediate post-workshop survey with an aim to measure the perceived quality of the curriculum, and a 1-month check-in designed to measure if the workshop improved participants' self-assessed empathy skills.

The primary outcome was the change in participants' self-assessed empathy 1 month after the workshop. Data from the 1-month follow up demonstrate that there was significant improvement in self-assessments of empathy by learners after the workshop. The secondary outcome was the participant analysis of the workshop curriculum. A total of 94% of participants indicated they would recommend the workshop to their colleagues. In all, 76% of participants indicated they will be changing the way they practice because of the workshop. In all, 31% of participants reported one or more actionable empathetic behaviors they plan to work on as a direct result of the workshop.

The findings from this study suggest that the empathy workshop can enhance medical learners' ability to practice empathy and compassion in clinical settings. The 1-month follow-up survey demonstrated significant improvements in self-assessed empathy and comments from learners supported the efficacy of the workshop. Future studies can reduce bias by utilizing a larger participant population across multiple specialties, a longer follow-up period, and patient-centered outcomes. Continuing to pursue a more advanced empathy curriculum is critical given the previously established link between empathy and improved patient outcomes.