Emotional Intelligence: Use in medical education and practice

Abstract

lEttErS to tHE MJM skills while creating a more caring environment for patients (2). In the care team, the physician using EI facilitates a healthy dialogue by attentive listening and, with adequate emotional serenity, harnesses and optimizes interpersonal relationships (3). An adequate control of emotions makes possible to be functional in every situation and to make rational decisions, thus acting as a mentor for residents and students for becoming more effective on the ward and in communication. The EI physician makes his colleagues aware on what can be created collectively, by direct encouragement, realistic expectations, and tangible opportunities to learn new skills, highlighting the purpose of personal liabilities, initiative and innovation (4). The physician acts so to stimulate creativity, avoiding criticism and feeling less threatened by changes resulting from creative ideas. The EI physician answers in a constructive way to changes and takes advantage of these new opportunities (5). EI offers a teaching framework that allows learning from collaborative relationships in order to increase professional development and leadership. Emotional learning and maturation are paramount to both. EI is a quality that improves and optimizes by personal reflection, practice and supervision. With colleagues, the EI physician consolidates therefore a supportive work climate, encouraging high-efficiency, in which other health professionals feel energized to perform get better in a mutual confidence ambiance (4). Moreover relationships between colleagues, EI training could lead to better work/life balance and doctor-patient relations. EI physician builds resilience and copes with stressful periods, as well as experiences better physical and psychological health (6). Therefore, physicians care for themselves through self-awareness and reflection, which appears to be one of the most important things to provide good care to others. Being more sensitive to their own and their patients' feelings and emotions, EI physicians use supportive behavior and provide psychological benefits (5). EI skills are mainly developed trough life's experience. Students and physicians should use introspection. Introspection is a goal for professional and private life success. One should analyses and learns from its own gestures, speech and behaviors. Leadership literature (7) is also useful for EI improvement, as both entities are highly related.