Empathy Assessment Among Medical Students Towards Patients - A Cross-Sectional Study

Subha Lakshmi; Vignesh Tamilchelvan; Sevvanthi K; Arunachalam D

doi:10.55489/njcm.151220244605

Authors

Subha Lakshmi Aarupadai Veedu Medical College and Hospital, Vinayaka Missions Research Foundation, Puducherry, India
Vignesh Tamilchelvan Aarupadai Veedu Medical College and Hospital, Vinayaka Missions Research Foundation, Puducherry, India
Sevvanthi K Aarupadai Veedu Medical College and Hospital, Vinayaka Missions Research Foundation, Puducherry, India
Arunachalam D Aarupadai Veedu Medical College and Hospital, Vinayaka Missions Research Foundation, Puducherry, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55489/njcm.151220244605

Keywords:

Empathy, Health, Medical students, Patient care, Medical education, Year of studies

Abstract

Background: Empathy is the student’s understanding of the patient’s experience and ability to convey the feeling. Empathy is teachable and measurable, and proper teaching to students about ethics, humanity, and professionalism can improve patient care.¹ This study tries to determine the empathy levels among medical college students towards patients and the variation in empathy levels among medical college students towards patients each year.

Methodology: The sample size was 400, undergraduate students from 1^st year to compulsory rotating medical internship were selected.

Results: There was a significant association between empathy levels and year of education and as the year of study increases the empathy level decreases and this is statistically significant.

Conclusion: The empathy level of medical students is at good levels. Still, the empathy level is declining as the year of studies increases because of the stress in studies and increased patient load.

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