How well do medical students express empathy?

Abstract

PURPOSE Empathy is an important trait of a physician and a key element in the physician-patient relationship. This study evaluated the ability to express empathy in medical students. METHODS Medical student empathy was measured by the modified Pencil-and-Paper Empathy Rating Test of Winefield and Chur-Hansen. The subjects comprised 110 medical students. The data were analyzed by descriptive analysis and t-test using SPSS version 21.0 (IBM Corp.). RESULTS Empathy rating test scores were low-level in medical students (mean, 12.59). There were no differences in the level of ability to express empathy between genders (t=-1.714, p=0.089). CONCLUSION Our results suggest that practical training in expressing empathy should be included in medical education and that an empathy training program must be focused on changes in behavior.