An Experiential Learning Activity on Empathy in Chiropractic Students: A Descriptive Report

Area of Science:

• Chiropractic Education
• Medical Education
• Patient-Centered Care

Background:

• Empathy is crucial in the doctor-patient relationship.
• Student empathy may decline during professional education.
• Maintaining empathy is vital for effective healthcare delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe an experiential learning activity focused on empathy.
• To address the potential decrease in empathy among first-year chiropractic students.
• To emphasize the significance of empathy in the doctor-patient relationship.

Main Methods:

• An experiential learning exercise was developed.
• Standardized patients were utilized for realistic encounters.
• The activity included a briefing, patient interaction, debriefing, and video reflection.

Main Results:

• The empathy learning activity was implemented for 747 first-year students.
• The program spanned four academic years.
• The structured activity facilitated engagement with empathy concepts.

Conclusions:

• An effective experiential learning activity for empathy was developed and implemented.
• The program targeted first-year chiropractic students.
• The initiative aimed to counteract empathy deterioration in students.