Medical narrative competency, empathy, and self-efficacy among senior medical undergraduates in China: a cross-sectional analysis

Abstract

Background: Medical students’ narrative competence plays a pivotal role in ensuring the future quality of medical services. Identifying the variables associated with narrative competence may be instrumental in preparing to improve medical undergraduates’ narrative competence. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the current status and influencing factors affecting medical students’ narrative competency while exploring the correlations among self-efficacy, empathy, and medical narrative competence. Methods: This study employed a quantitative cross-sectional design and enrolled 434 full-time senior medical undergraduates at a university in Chongqing, China, through convenience sampling. Medical undergraduates who met the inclusion criteria completed an online survey using self-report scales for self-efficacy, empathy, and medical narrative competence between October and November 2023. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to explore the influencing factors. Results: Medical students scored 137.03 ± 16.42 on narrative competency, 25.84 ± 5.40 on self-efficacy, and 51.04 ± 11.93 on empathy. Narrative competency was positively correlated with self-efficacy (r = 0.345, p < 0.01) and empathy (r = 0.492, p < 0.01). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the final model adopted was statistically significant (F = 18.203; p < 0.001; R2 = 0.342). Main factors influencing narrative competency included students’ majors, the role of student leaders, empathy levels, and self-efficacy (p < 0.05), explaining 34.2% of the total variation. Conclusion: Empathy and self-efficacy are closely associated with narrative competencies in medical undergraduates. Therefore, educational activities that prioritize the cultivation of empathy and self-efficacy may serve as an alternative approach for enhancing narrative competency among Chinese medical undergraduates.