Exploring Empathy Levels among Medical Students Participating in a Family Adoption Program: A Cross-sectional Study
Pavani Varma, Anu Mohandas, Muralidhar Kulkarni, Y. N. Shasidhara, Neeta MathurAbstract
Introduction:
In medical education, cultivating empathy among students is as crucial as enhancing clinical competence for their future roles as physicians. Empathy plays a pivotal role in patient care, influencing communication, understanding, and ultimately, patient outcomes. This study aims to assess empathy levels among undergraduate medical students participating in a family adoption program. In addition, it seeks to explore variations in empathy levels across different years of training in the MBBS course.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 277 medical students enrolled in the family adoption program. Jefferson’s Scale of Empathy-Student Version was employed to measure empathy among them.
Results:
The students included in the study belonged to a diverse demographic profile. The mean age of the medical students was found to be 20.8 years. The study yielded median empathy score of 65 with interquartile range of 58–73. Upon further analysis, gender, academic year, and student’s income and preference for surgical speciality emerged as significant positive predictors of empathy scores. The empathy score among medical students falls within an average range. Factors such as gender, academic year, family income, and preference for surgical specialties were found to be associated with empathy levels.
Conclusion:
There exists a notable opportunity for further enhancement of empathy skills. This underscores the ongoing need for exploration and development in the realm of empathy, a pivotal aspect of medical education.