There is a paucity of current research on the mechanisms that mediate the relationship between nurses' levels of spiritual health and spiritual caregiving competence.

The aim of this study was to explore the mediating role of empathy and moral sensitivity between spiritual health and spiritual caregiving competence.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted from January to December 2023 in six tertiary hospitals in Liaoning Province, China.Using convenience sampling, 587 clinical nurses were selected. Using the Spiritual care compentence scale, The spiritual health scale, The Jefferson Scale of Empathy and the Moral Sensitivity Questionaire-revised into Chinese Data were collected from nurses. Mediating effects were analyzed using a structural equation model based on maximum likelihood estimation.

The nurses' spiritual caregiving competency score was (55.25 ± 12.25), which was moderate level. The model shows that the total effect of spiritual health on spiritual care competence (β = 0.475) is divided into a direct effect (β = 0.314) and an indirect effect. The indirect effects of empathy and moral sensitivity are 0.114 and 0.027, respectively. Additionally, empathy and moral sensitivity contribute an indirect effect of 0.019 between spiritual health and spiritual care competence.

The results show that nurses 'spiritual care capabilities can be indirectly improved by improving nurses' empathy and moral sensitivity.

Perspective-taking is increasingly valued as an important competence to deliver person-centered care. It is conceptualized as a facet of cognitive empathy, but also connected to other attitudes and competences. Multiple studies report on educational interventions focused on perspective-taking, but an overview of instruments to measure perspective-taking is lacking. This scoping review aims to get insight into the instruments currently used to measure perspective taking in different educational fields and healthcare settings.

A systematic search was conducted in seven databases. After screening for eligibility by multiple authors, 60 articles were included. The ascertained measurement instruments were subcategorized in psychometric instruments, qualitative methods and indirect instruments.

The psychometric scales encompassed five independent scales for perspective-taking and three subscales of multidimensional empathy scales. Predominantly self-reporting scales were found, only one scale used patient-reported assessment. The qualitative studies used semi-structured interviews, written responses and the 'think-aloud' procedure. Indirect instruments concern tools initially developed for different purposes used for measuring perspective-taking.

This scoping review provides insight into the measurement approaches of perspective-taking in different domains. However, there is a lack of independent psychometric instruments and systematic qualitative tools for perspective-taking. Future research should develop and validate novel measurement instruments for perspective-taking in healthcare education.

The growing media exposure of plastic, aesthetic, and reconstructive surgery, particularly through social networks, significantly influences patient expectations. Understanding these expectations during initial consultations is essential to improving patient care and satisfaction.

To identify the primary expectations of patients during a first consultation and analyze variations according to demographic groups and reasons for consultation.

A survey was conducted among 104 patients attending their first consultation at the plastic surgery department of a university hospital in Paris. A structured questionnaire was used to gather data on key criteria for patients, including the practitioner's attitude, consultation duration, and the influence of social networks and scientific publications.

The most valued criteria were the surgeon's empathetic attitude (median: 10/10) and precise explanations (median: 10/10). Teleconsultation was poorly accepted by 77.9% of respondents. The ideal duration of a first consultation was 15 to 30min for 62.5% of patients. Social networks were considered important by 43% of patients, mainly for before/after photos. Scientific publications were valued by 55% of participants. Patients consulting for aesthetic reasons were more likely to consider social networking publications important (52%) than those with non-aesthetic reasons (34%). Among patients, 40% were referred by a doctor, while 21% discovered the surgeon via social networks. Finally, clear differences were observed between younger and older patients, notably concerning their tolerance of teleconsultation and their mode of discovery of the practitioner.

Patients emphasize the need for empathetic and detailed communication. Plastic surgeons can leverage these findings to adapt their practice and enhance the consultation experience.

Dentists' empathy for patients is associated with enhanced patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes, and with reduced patient anxiety and dentist burnout. Cognitive empathy has been distinguished from emotional empathy, but how these broad types are expressed within the dentist-patient relationship has not been explored. The purpose of this study is to further differentiate types of empathy expressions in routine dental visits.

Third-year students (n = 80) treated standardised patients (n = 11) portraying one of two patient profiles, each of which had multiple treatment needs in addition to a major systemic health problem: cancer or rheumatoid arthritis. After each visit, the patients completed assessment rubrics which included opportunities to comment on performance on four skillsets: visit initiation, patient interviewing, treatment planning and global communication. These comments were qualitatively content analysed. Comments (n = 301) were first deductively coded for valence (positive vs. negative evaluation) and empathy type (cognitive vs. emotional). Subsequently, comments were inductively coded for subtypes.

Three subtypes of cognitive empathy were identified in patient comments: facilitating comprehension, resolving treatment barriers and relieving physical discomfort. Five types of emotional empathy were identified: comforting emotionally, validating, sympathising, encouraging and inspiring confidence. Unexpectedly, four subtypes emerged which could not definitively be classified as exclusively cognitive or emotional, so a hybrid type was identified for these subtypes: respecting, moderating, attending and destigmatizing.

Patients distinguish subtypes of cognitive and emotional empathy, but some hybrid expressions are powerful because they simultaneously convey both types of empathy.

To determine if a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) user-wear experience brings value to an advanced diabetes elective course by assessing the impact on empathy and knowledge.

This was a quasi-experimental pre-post intervention study, conducted over 2 offerings of an advanced diabetes elective course. Third-year pharmacy students participated in a 2-part didactic education and user-wear experience involving CGM devices. Students completed a survey at 3 prespecified time points to assess empathy and knowledge (foundational and counseling knowledge). Empathy was assessed using the Kiersma-Chen empathy scale. Knowledge was assessed using predefined multiple-choice questions. Statistical tests include repeated measures analysis of variance and Bonferroni tests for overall and subsection scores on the empathy and knowledge surveys. A partial eta squared was also used to measure effect size for the repeated measures analysis of variance test.

Twenty-nine out of the 36 enrolled students completed all 3 surveys. Compared with a traditional lecture, the CGM user-wear experience demonstrated a significant increase in student self-perceived empathy and counseling knowledge. No change in foundational knowledge was observed.

A CGM user-wear experience provides educational value beyond a traditional lecture. Our study showed that educational outcomes such as empathy and counseling knowledge can be achieved by implementing a CGM user-wear experience. An advanced diabetes elective course provides an ideal environment to optimize CGM learning outcomes with a user-wear experience.

Empathy and resilience are essential for nursing students to provide quality patient care and maintain well-being. However, structured interventions to develop these competencies remain limited.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of the mindfulness, affective reflection, impactive experience, and supportive and safe learning space (MaRIS) intervention in enhancing empathy and resilience and examined the impact of course sequencing relative to clinical placement.

A 2-group, pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design was conducted with 65 nursing students in Taiwan. Group A (n = 29) completed the course before clinical placement, while group B (n = 36) completed it after. Empathy and resilience were assessed at 3 time points.

Empathy improved in both groups but was not significant. Group A showed significant resilience improvement 1-month post-intervention (P = .008).

The MaRIS intervention, particularly preplacement, enhances resilience and may improve nursing students' clinical readiness.

Empathy plays a pivotal role in healthcare professions, influencing patient satisfaction and treatment outcomes. Understanding the determinants of empathy in medical students is essential. However, findings from previous studies have been inconsistent. We hypothesized that part of this variability may be attributed to the influence of the geo-sociocultural context. In this study, we aimed to compare the longitudinal determinants of empathy in four cohorts of medical students from two distinct geo-sociocultural backgrounds.

This study included 199 medical students from Porto Alegre, Brazil and Geneva, Switzerland who were in their 1 st and 4 th years of training and agreed to participate on both occasions. The outcome variable was empathy scores (total and subdimensions) assessed through the Jefferson Scale of Empathy for Medical Students (JSE-S). Independent variables included gender, personality, motives for studying medicine, specialty preferences, and the level of motivation for medical studies. Multivariate regression analyses were conducted to investigate the associations between independent variables and empathy at each site in years 1 and 4.

In year 1, the personality trait openness to experience was associated with higher empathy (total score) in both Porto Alegre (b = 0.503, p ≤ 0.01) and Geneva (b = 0.592, p ≤ 0.001), with this association persisting over time. However, the relationships between empathy and the other independent variables varied significantly depending on the site.

The determinants of empathy were significantly modulated by the geo-sociocultural context. The personality trait openness to experience was the only consistent determinant of empathy across both sites over time. Associations between empathy and gender, motives for studying medicine, and specialty preferences were site specific. Our findings underscore the importance of considering students' backgrounds when assessing empathy teaching and learning.

Mastectomy, a surgical procedure involving the removal of breast tissue, is a common treatment option for breast cancer. Post treatment, survivors often experience both physical and psychological symptoms, which in turn delay the recovery phase. Post-mastectomy wound complications, such as infection, pain, delayed healing, seroma formation, persistent discomfort and limited mobility often lead to prolonged hospital stays and reduced quality of life. Proper wound care, including dressing changes and wound management, is crucial for optimal healing. However, mastectomy also has a significant emotional and psychological impact on patients, leading to depression, anxiety, and poor body image due to significant changes in the body such as loss of hair, unsightly scars and weight changes. Patients also feel uncomfortable when medical professionals concentrate solely on survival, rather than empathizing with them. While these emotional reactions are often expected and considered normal during breast cancer treatment, what comes as a surprise is the additional harm caused by healthcare providers' communication and behaviour when treating breast cancer patients. Despite advances in medical technology, there remains a significant gap in providing psychosocial support for breast cancer survivors. Undergoing a mastectomy is an emotionally challenging experience, and healthcare providers play a vital role in establishing the groundwork for psychological recuperation. By incorporating empathetic practices into daily patient care, healthcare providers can be trained to create an unbiased, informative, and compassionate environment, to improve patient outcomes and satisfaction. The use of compassionate communication when interacting with the patient and their care givers can foster a more nurturing atmosphere for all parties involved. By prioritizing empathy in post-mastectomy wound care, healthcare providers can enhance the overall well-being of breast cancer survivors. This review explores the physical and emotional impact of mastectomy on patients, the healing process, and the importance of integrating empathy into post-mastectomy wound care.

This methodological study aims to provide a comprehensive database of dental malpractice cases in Türkiye over the past 20 years, with a focus on the patterns of malpractice claims across different specialties and settings, as well as the characteristics of the events that give rise to litigation. The study also seeks to clarify to raise awareness of patient safety among dental practitioners to enhance care quality and liability risk management by providing insights into the legal outcomes of malpractice cases.

A total of 100 dental malpractice claims spanning 23 years (2000-2023) were included in this retrospective, matched cohort study. The cases were categorized into four groups: Malpractice; Complication; Undetermined; and Unresolved. The analysis focused on various legal and clinical variables, including the type of dental treatment, the physician's level of duty, the presence of auxiliary healthcare personnel, the type of healthcare institution, the legal outcome of the case (decision, settlement, and compensation status), the reasons for filing the malpractice claim, and the appointment of expert witnesses. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test and Fisher's Exact Test, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.

The majority of cases were related to prosthodontics (31%) and oral surgery (24%), followed by oral diagnosis (14%), implantology (12%), orthodontics (9%), endodontics (5%), restorative dentistry (2%), pedodontics (2%), and periodontology (1%). The most common reason for malpractice claims was incorrect treatment (88%), followed by incomplete treatment (33%), misdiagnosis (32%), patient fault (21%), treatment delays (19%), lack of follow-up (16%), failure to obtain informed consent (10%), delays in diagnosis (3%), document forgery (3%), and infectious disease (2%).

This study highlights the importance of thorough planning, assessments, and preventive measures in dental practice, particularly in prosthodontics, oral surgery, and implantology, which involve invasive procedures, prolonged treatments, and high costs-factors that contribute to higher patient dissatisfaction and increased malpractice risks. Addressing these factors through improved oversight and decision-making could reduce the frequency of litigation and minimize legal disputes.

Empathy can lead to a better patient-professional relationship, and this skill that can be learned and trained, and the university is the ideal place to start this training. The aim of this systematic review is to assess whether training and education interventions have an impact on increasing empathy in health students.

The acronym PICOS was used to formulate the research question. A high-sensitivity search was made combining indexed terms, entry terms, and Boolean OR/AND in 9 databases, including grey literature and manual search of retrieved articles. Two researchers selected the studies based on previously established eligibility criteria. The risk of bias was verified using the RoB2 tool and a meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4.

The analysis included 30 studies in the qualitative synthesis and 20 studies that presented adequate data for the meta-analysis. An overall moderate effect on participants' empathy was found after the intervention (standardized mean difference 0.45, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.65). However, heterogeneity was high (I2 = 79%). More than half of the studies were considered at high risk of bias. The results suggests that interventions can be effective in increasing empathy.

This topic has been in the spotlight in the area of health education in recent years. And more quality studies will be needed, as well as long-term evaluation of interventions to ensure the durability of empathy enhancement.

Not applicable.

The objective of this study was to assess the empathy levels of dental students during their clinical practice training in pediatric dentistry and to evaluate various factors that influence changes in these empathy levels.

The study evaluated the empathy levels of a total of 350 students (70 third-year, 140 fourth-year, and 140 fifth-year dental students) who received pediatric dentistry clinical practice training and/or observation between October 2022 and December 2023. The Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy-Student Version was used to assess empathy levels before and after the training. The data were subjected to statistical analysis using the Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Wilcoxon test, and Dunn Test (p < 0.05).

The response rate of the participants was 92.10%. The highest empathy level was observed in third-year students, while the lowest empathy level was observed in fifth-year students. A statistically significant relationship was found between these two variables (p < 0.001). Additionally, the empathy level of female students was statistically significantly higher than that of male students (p < 0.001). Following the completion of the pediatric dentistry training, a statistically significant increase was observed in the empathy levels of the students in comparison to the baseline (p < 0.001).

Empathy levels in students are found to be correlated with academic year, sibling count, and gender. It is of paramount importance to enhance empathy skills through training in order to foster the development of human-oriented physicians capable of effective patient communication.

There is abundant evidence that an individual's personality traits may influence their level of empathy. However, the role of death attitudes in the relationship between personality disorder functioning styles of nurses and their empathy remains to be elucidated.

Personality disorder functioning styles, death attitudes, and empathy levels were assessed in 614 Chinese trainee nurses using the Parker Personality Measure (PERM), the Death Attitude Scale-Revised (DAP-R), and the Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Health Professionals (JSE-HP).

Among the trainee nurses, DAP-R Fear of Death, Death Avoidance, Escape Acceptance, Approach Acceptance, and Neutral Acceptance(-) partially mediated the negative correlations between all PERM styles except Obsessive-compulsive style and empathy. Furthermore, DAP-R Fear of Death, Escape Acceptance, and Approach Acceptance fully mediated that between Obsessive-compulsive style and empathy. Fear of Death and Death Avoidance attenuated empathy among those with higher Narcissistic and Dependent styles, respectively.

Death attitudes served as a mediator and moderator in the relationships between personality disorder functioning styles and empathy among trainee nurses, suggesting the need for targeted death education among early-career nurses with personality dysfunctions.

For future doctors, learning compassion skills is heavily dependent on female and male faculty's role modelling in practice. As such, more insight into the relationships between faculty's compassionate behavior, faculty gender and role modelling is needed.

In this cross-sectional survey, we analyzed 12416 resident evaluations of 2399 faculty members across 22 Dutch hospitals. The predictor variables were: observed compassionate behavior, faculty gender (reference category: female), and an interaction term between those two. Our outcome variables were: person, teacher and physician role model. All variables, except for faculty gender, were scored on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 "totally disagree" to 7 "totally agree".

Female faculty scored slightly but significantly higher (M = 6.2, SD = 0.7) than male faculty (M = 5.9, SD = 0.6) on observed compassionate behavior. Observed compassionate behavior was significantly positively associated with being seen as a role model teacher (b = 0.695; 95% CI = 0.623 - 0.767), physician (b = 0.657; 95% CI = 0.598 - 0.716) and person (b = 0.714; 95% CI = 0.653 - 0.775). Male gender showed significant negative associations with role model teacher (b = -0.847; 95% CI = -1.431 - -0.262), physician (b = -0.630, 95% CI = -1.111 - -0.149) and person (b = -0.601, 95% CI = -1.099 - -0.103). The interaction term showed positive significant associations with role model teacher (b = 0.157, 95% CI = 0.061 - 0.767), physician (b = 0.116, 95% CI = 0.037 - 0.194) and person (b = 0.102, 95% CI = 0.021 - 0.183).

Dutch residents, in general, observed their faculty to be compassionate towards patients and families and faculty's observed compassionate behavior is related to being seen as a role model. However, male faculty benefit more from demonstrating compassion, as it has a greater positive influence on their perceived role model status compared to female faculty.

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the widespread use of face masks in medical settings. In the treatment of patients with head and neck tumors or other malignancies, where non-verbal communication and emotional expression are critical, face masks may potentially impair the physician-patient relationship. This study aimed to assess the impact of face masks on perceived empathy and the quality of physician-patient communication in this patient cohort.

A prospective case-control study as part of the postoperative follow-up consultations was conducted at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Medical Center Goettingen, utilizing the Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) measure. Patients were divided into two groups: in the case group, clinicians wore face masks throughout the entire consultation, while in the control group, masks were worn only during the clinical examination. The primary outcome was the difference in CARE scores, reflecting the perceived empathy of the clinician.

No significant difference in mean CARE scores was observed between the two groups (p=0.454), indicating that wearing a face mask did not significantly affect patients' perception of clinician empathy. However, a significant positive correlation was found between patients' familiarity with the clinician and higher CARE scores (p=0.003). Other variables, such as patient health status and consultation duration, did not significantly influence CARE scores.

Wearing face masks does not significantly impair perceived empathy in the context of physician-patient communication. Familiarity with the clinician emerged as a key factor in enhancing the quality of the interaction. These findings underscore the importance of fostering long-term, trust-based physician-patient relationships, particularly during periods of pandemic-related protective measures such as mask mandates.

This study was conducted to identify group profiles in moral sensitivity among Chinese nursing students and examine the factors associated with moral sensitivity subgroups.

Moral sensitivity is a precondition for ethical decision making. Developing this sensitivity equips nursing students with the skills to identify and respond appropriately to ethical dilemmas, which are essential as they prepare to enter clinical settings. As integral members of the future nursing workforce, nursing students must be well prepared to navigate the ethical challenges they face.

This study used a cross-sectional design.

Using convenience sampling, 716 nursing undergraduates from three universities in Jiangxi Province participated in this study. Participants completed online assessments of personality traits, empathy, professional nursing values and moral sensitivity. Latent profile analysis was used to identify moral sensitivity profiles and multinomial logistic regression was used to explore factors influencing distinct moral sensitivity profiles in nursing undergraduates.

Results identified three profiles: "moral idealists" (9.7 %; high moral strength, moral burden; low moral responsibility), "moral undertakers" (32.0 %; moderate moral strength, moral burden; high moral responsibility), "moral skeptics" (58.3 %; low moral strength, moral burden and moral responsibility). Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that grade level, only child status, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, empathy and professional nursing values were associated with different profiles of moral sensitivity in nursing students.

Most undergraduate nursing students were placed in the moral skeptics group; thus, educational institutions should pay special attention to nursing students with low levels of moral sensitivity. Particular attention and additional support should be given to nursing students who are only children, in their lower academic years, exhibit neurotic traits and possess lower levels of agreeableness and conscientiousness. Educational activities and programs that prioritize empathy and professional nursing values may present a viable approach to fostering moral sensitivity among nursing students.

Compassionate care and empathy are fundamental components of health care which contribute to the social construction of physician-patient relationship to meet the expectations of the patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical empathy among undergraduate dental students at a University in the Middle East.

It was a cross-sectional study which used purposive sampling to recruit undergraduate dental students from five academic years. The Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy-Health Profession Students was used, a reliable 20-item tool with a total score ranging from 20 to 140. Data collection was done online using Google Forms. All data were analysed and visualised using RStudio (version 2023.06.2) incorporating R version 4.0.5. Descriptive statistics including confidence intervals were calculated for each item and for the combined data set. Analysis of variance was used to determine any significant variation between the results by demographic factors. Estimated marginal means were calculated from the ANOVA outcomes.

Responses were received from 150 participants including 75 males and 75 females. The overall response rate was 90.36%. The overall mean total score was 96.01 (95% CI 93.73-98.30). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) identified significant variation by gender only with female participants achieving statistically significant higher overall scores than male participants (f = 6.502, p = 0.012).

The study evaluated empathy among dental undergraduate students. The total mean scores of the participants appeared to be comparable to those reported in the literature findings. Higher mean empathy scores were observed for female participants in the current study. These findings emphasise the need for targeted interventions to promote empathy among dental students to boost patient-centred care.

Empathy is an important construct in patient-physician relationships, particularly critical in family physicians' daily practice. We aimed to understand how empathy has been conceived and integrated into family medicine postgraduate training.

Medline, PsyINFO, and Embase were searched in this systematic mixed studies systematic review. Two independent reviewers screened abstracts and full texts. Disagreements were solved through research team consensus-based discussion. Included studies were synthesized thematically.

A total of 18 studies were included. Four themes were identified. (1) Empathy definition. Included studies stressed the cognitive component of empathy, paired either with a behavioural or an affective response. (2) Empathy modifiers. Starting residency right after medical school, having a role model, having high empathy levels before residency, having children, being married, and being exposed to patient involvement in education were found to have a positive impact on empathy. (3) Empathy-burnout relationship. Whereas greater burnout was related to lower empathy levels, excess empathy seems to favour burnout through 'compassion fatigue.' (4) Educational programs for empathy development. Five programs were identified: a communication workshop, a patient-led program, a mindfulness program, a family-oriented intervention, and an arts-based program.

Studies mostly measured the cognitive component of empathy. The moral component of empathy was underrepresented in the conceptualization of empathy and the development of educational interventions. Conflicting evidence exists regarding the decline of empathy levels during the family medicine residency. Longitudinal designs should be privileged when exploring the evolution of empathy levels across the continuum of medical education.

Effective communication with the child and his/her parents is of paramount importance in our daily work in paediatric radiology to establish a trusting relationship and enhance satisfaction for both patients and physicians. Although communication skills and empathy can be effectively taught, and efforts have been made in this area in medical schools, there is still much room for improvement, as communication skills tend to decline throughout medical training. Certain methods are valuable for conducting effective consultations with both the child and the parents, not only when breaking bad news. Paying attention to non-verbal cues can improve our understanding of the family's thoughts and enhance our ability to communicate through all channels. Rethinking the general environment of the department and consultation/ultrasound rooms may also promote effective communication. Having basic knowledge of intercultural communication and strategies for communicating with families with low literacy skills can also be beneficial. In paediatric interventional radiology, specific techniques can be used to better explain the procedure and the concept of risk and to address the family's anxiety.

Burnout is prevalent in healthcare professionals, especially among nurses. This review aims to examine the correlation between empathy and burnout as well as the variables that influence and mediate them.

This review follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline, to present a systematic evaluation of literature. A literature search of four electronic databases including CINAHL (EBSCO), EMBASE, PubMed, and Google Scholar was conducted from 2014 to 2024. A total of 1081 articles were identified in the initial search. After screening the title, abstract, and context of these articles, 16 eligible articles were finally included in this review.

This review identified a number of factors related to empathy and burnout levels. The included studies showed consistent results that empathy and burnout were generally negatively related. When considering the different components of empathy or burnout independently, as well as the mediating factors involved, relations between empathy and burnout may alter.

This study provided an excellent summary of some important research on the mediating and affecting factors associated with burnout and empathy. These results can facilitate further development of interventions and policies to better manage and prevent burnout in nurses.

Research on personality types among doctors reveals its impact on medical specialty choices, suggesting that considering personality in career planning may enhance work satisfaction and reduce burnout risks.

This study, encompassing 2104 medical students, explores how personality types, traits, and gender relate to specialty preferences.

Participants of this study were medical students from various universities in Poland. The study surveyed 2104 participants. Each participant completed a general questionnaire and a NERIS Type Explorer personality test, based on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator inventory and the "Big Five" personality traits concept. The questionnaire was distributed on social media groups for medical students from all Polish universities. An exploratory statistical analysis was performed to find relationships. For each tested relationship a Fisher exact test was conducted and the significance level was P<.05. Each test resulted in a P value and odds ratio (OR) with a CI. To ensure we included undecided students and obtained meaningful data, we allowed participants to select up to three medical specialties from the 77 available in Poland at the time of the study.

The findings unveil significant relationships between gender, personality types, traits, and specialty preferences. Women tended to favor Neonatology (OR 9.15, 95% CI 3.02-45.46), while men leaned toward Orthopedics and traumatology of the locomotor system (OR 7.53, 95% CI 4.87-11.94). Extroverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Prospecting, and Turbulent students showed a heightened interest in Psychiatry (OR 2.23, 95% CI 1.64-3.01), whereas Introverted, Observant, Feeling, Judging, and Turbulent types favored Family Medicine (OR 2.98, 95% CI 2.08-4.24) and Pediatrics (OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.51-2.99).

In conclusion, this research establishes a link between personality and medical specialty selection. Taking into account the significant role of personality traits, it should be considered to integrate them into the process of selecting a medical career or designing a medical curriculum. This approach may allow for the customization of programs to match students' traits, thereby cultivating improved clinical communication skills, fostering interprofessional collaboration and ultimately enhancing treatment outcomes and professional fulfillment among physicians. The main limitation of this study is that it was conducted on medical students, who lack the full knowledge of the work as a specific specialist. A study surveying medical doctors with longer internships across different wards could be conducted to check for any variabilities. Moreover, there are other significant factors that influence one's medical specialty choice. Certainly, this area could be further explored.

Many non-communicable diseases are rooted in social factors that determine health outcomes. Complex topics such as the social determinants of health are difficult to teach through traditional didactic methods. Since the introduction of the social accountability of medical schools' framework in 1995 by the World Health Organisation, healthcare education institutions are encouraged to shift their traditional education models towards a socially accountable approach. Community engagement can facilitate a deeper understanding of health inequity, barriers to health care, and the social determinants of health whilst enabling institutions to meet their obligation to the communities they serve. This systematic review aimed to answer the following question: ''What is the impact of community engaged healthcare education on undergraduate healthcare students' empathy and their views towards social accountability?''.

This is a mixed-methods systematic review. The protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022306181). The following databases were searched: Scopus, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, ERIC, BEI for primary research studies published from 1995 to September 2024. Grey literature was also searched via EThOS and Google. Studies recruiting undergraduate students of regulated healthcare professions in countries of very high development were included. A convergent integrated approach to synthesis was followed.

Out of the 19,590 papers yielded from the literature search, 76 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The following subthemes were generated under three overarching themes: Social accountability (advocacy for action; giving back to the community; bigger picture-identifying social determinants of health and barriers to healthcare; barriers to social accountability), Empathy (humanise community members-everybody has a story; overcome bias and challenge attitudes, assumptions and stereotypes; cultural competence and sensitivity; empathetic communication and interpersonal skills; feeling sympathy and sadness), and Shaping the future workforce (future professional demeanour; professional interests; interprofessional education and collaboration).

Community engaged education can help students better understand community needs, social determinants of health, improve empathy and cultural sensitivity, and build advocacy for social justice and change.

The growing shortage of General Practitioners (GPs) is a Europe-wide challenge, particularly in rural areas. In Germany, the situation is worsened by an ageing workforce of GPs and insufficient training of new doctors. Many newly qualified physicians choose careers outside primary care or prefer to work part-time to balance work and family life. To address this problem, it is essential to understand the factors that influence medical students' specialty choice, and then to take action to encourage them to specialise in General Practice (GP). In addition to medical school experiences, rural placements, or characteristics of the specialty, personality traits have been shown to influence students' specialty decisions. A well-researched approach to assessing personality is the Five-Factor Model, which measures personality on the dimensions openness (to experience), conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. Using the findings about the links between students' personalities and an increased interest in a career in General Practice may be an approach to raising the number of GPs.

We aimed to examine how students' personality traits influence their interest in General Practice and their current intention to pursue General Practice as a specialty.

In March 2021, we started an ongoing online survey among medical students at the University of Würzburg and assessed cross-sectional data about the 'Big Five' personality traits and aspects of career choice. Until December 2022, we invited three cohorts of first-year beginners, and one cohort each of third-, fifth- and sixth-year students via email to participate in the survey. For statistical analysis, we performed linear regression and extended it into a path model to examine the relationship between students' personality traits, their interest in General Practice, and whether they would currently choose General Practice for their future specialty. We controlled for possible confounding effects of age, gender, and current semester by using covariates.

Higher levels of agreeableness and neuroticism predicted greater interest in GPs, whereas higher levels of conscientiousness and openness predicted less interest in GPs. The effects of extraversion were unclear. Age was a significant predictor of interest, with older age associated with greater interest in General Practice. Gender was not a significant predictor of interest in General Practice, and the results for semester were inconclusive. The interest in General Practice is a predictor of the intention to choose GP as a specialty. The personality dimensions show an indirect predictive effect on the intention to choose GP, mediated by interest in GP. In total, R² = 7.7% of the variance of the interest in GP was explained by the combination of personality dimensions and covariates.

Our study reveals that students' personality traits predict their interest in General Practice and their intention to choose it as a specialty. Personality assessments can be integrated into counselling services to help students better understand their traits. Our findings highlight the great potential of considering personality in career counselling during medical education or even the extent of admission criteria to medical school by personality-related criteria.

Communication between medical practitioners and patients in health care settings is essential for positive patient health outcomes. Nonetheless, researchers have paid scant attention to the significance of clinical empathy in these interactions as a practical skill.

This study aims to understand clinical empathy during practitioner-patient encounters by examining practitioners' and patients' verbal and nonverbal behaviors. Using eye-tracking techniques, we focused on the relationship between traditionally assessed clinical empathy and practitioners' actual gaze behavior.

We used mixed methods to understand clinical encounters by comparing 3 quantitative measures: eye-tracking data, scores from the Korean version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Health Professional, and Consultation and Relational Empathy survey scores. We also conducted qualitative interviews with patients regarding their encounters.

One practitioner and 6 patients were involved in the experiment. Perceived empathy on the part of the practitioner was notably higher when the practitioner focused on a patient's mouth area during the consultation, as indicated by gaze patterns that focused on a patient's face. Furthermore, an analysis of areas of interest revealed different patterns in interactions with new as opposed to returning patients. Postconsultation interviews suggested that task-oriented and socially oriented empathy are critical in aligning with patients' expectations of empathetic communication.

This proof-of-concept study advocates a multidimensional approach to clinical empathy, revealing that a combination of verbal and nonverbal behaviors significantly reinforces perceived empathy from health care workers. This evolved paradigm of empathy underscores the profound consequences for medical education and the quality of health care delivery.

In the age of automation and technology, incorporating empathy in pre-licensure healthcare education is essential in providing empathic care to patients and co-workers. This can be achieved through interprofessional education (IPE).

To consolidate evidence to evaluate interprofessional education's impact on pre-licensure healthcare students' empathy levels.

A mixed-studies systematic review following a convergent segregated approach.

Ten electronic databases were searched from their inception until 30 November 2023. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method studies that explored the impact of IPE on the change in empathy level in pre-licensure healthcare students were reviewed. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Mixed-Method Appraisal Tool. Findings from the qualitative and quantitative aspects were analysed and synthesized separately using thematic and narrative synthesis. The findings were integrated by convergent synthesis.

A total of 36 studies involving 3887 participants were included in this review, consisting of five quantitative, 14 qualitative and 17 mixed-methods studies. This review found that IPE enhanced the empathy level of students by improving their understanding of empathy and various empathic responses. Through IPE activities, students demonstrated empathy towards both patients and interprofessional peers. Three themes were generated through the synthesis of qualitative and quantitative results: (1) Empathy Awareness, (2) Internal Empathic Processes, and (3) Intentional Actions. The results showed that healthcare students exhibited empathic care behaviours towards patients and their interprofessional peers.

The findings of this review suggested that IPE was effective in improving awareness and knowledge of empathy and in providing empathy care to patients and interprofessional peers. This review encourages educators to implement IPE to pre-licensure healthcare students to increase their knowledge of the importance of providing empathic patient care and interprofessional empathy. Future research could explore more on the processes of interprofessional empathy in students.

Establishing an empathic bond of trust with patients is a characteristic that needs to be taught to medical students. Patients feel physicians are more caring if they sense their physician is empathetic. Yet, longitudinal studies have shown an erosion of affective empathy as allopathic medical students progress through their education. Although there are studies examining cognitive empathy among osteopathic students, there has not been a longitudinal study which has examined potential changes in affective empathy.

During orientation to the Campbell University Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine (M1 timepoint), and at the beginning of each subsequent academic year (M2-M4 timepoints), and just before graduation (M4F timepoint) the graduating classes of 2017-2019 were asked to voluntarily participate in a longitudinal study by filling out the Balanced Emotional Empathy Scale (BEES), which measures affective empathy. Desired specialty choice and sex was also collected at each of the five timepoints. Specialty choice was divided into Core and Non-Core groups. Core specialties are "people-oriented" and have a large amount of patient contact and continuity of care and include Family and Internal Medicine, Ob/Gyn, Pediatrics and Psychiatry. Non-Core specialties are "technical- or procedure-oriented" and are those with little or no patient contact and/or continuity of care (e.g., Radiology, Surgery, Emergency Medicine, Anesthesiology).

For men, BEES scores significantly dropped over the five timepoints (p < 0.001). While men selecting Non-Core specialties had significant drops in scores (p = 0.001); men who selected the Core specialties did not have a significant decrease. For women there was no significant drop in BEES scores, nor for women selecting Core or Non-Core specialties. Women always had larger BEES score averages than the men. Students selecting Core specialties better maintain their affective empathy than those who select Non-Core specialties.

The decline in affective empathy scores for osteopathic students has differences when compared to a similar longitudinal study of allopathic medical students.

The WHO classified the mpox outbreak as a worldwide health emergency. Increasing the contribution of healthcare providers, such as pharmacists, can enhance preventive efforts. Assessing the knowledge and confidence levels of pharmacists in diagnosing and managing mpox cases can shape the response strategies necessary for the management of such outbreaks.

This research employed a cross-sectional survey designed to assess the knowledge and preparedness of pharmacy students and pharmacists in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) regarding the mpox virus outbreak. Independent researchers evaluated the survey items to confirm the face and content validity of the developed survey. The final study's survey was structured into three distinct sections, each addressing a specific area of interest. Data were analyzed using the IBM SPSS Statistics.

The 388 participants had a median age of 22.00 years (IQR = 5.00). The survey revealed that participants primarily relied on the WHO reports for mpox information (79.8%). The total knowledge scores (TK score) varied, ranging from -6 to 23 (median = 6.00), and symptom knowledge scores (SK score) ranged from -3 to 9 (median = 2.00). Older participants (p-value = 0.008) and females (p-value = 0.014) exhibited significantly higher TK scores. Only about 31.0% of participants expressed confidence in diagnosing mpox cases, and 34.6% expressed confidence in managing mpox cases. Nearly a quarter of the participants (24.5%) thought that getting vaccinated against COVID-19 led to contracting mpox more likely, whereas 45.7% believed that a previous infection with COVID-19 increases the risk of having mpox and its associated symptoms. Many respondents (38.7%) expressed their concern that mpox could emerge as the next major epidemic following COVID-19.

Although pharmacists and pharmacy students in the UAE are aware of mpox, their knowledge and confidence levels in diagnosing and managing vary significantly. These findings suggest the need for targeted educational programs to enhance the understanding and preparedness of pharmacists to manage and prevent mpox cases.

Moral sensitivity may play a role in dealing with ethical issues in ICUs. However, the moral sensitivity of adult ICU nurses in China and its predictors have not been well investigated.

To analyse the moral sensitivity of intensive care unit (ICU) nurses and its predictors.

A cross-sectional study through convenience sampling was conducted in the ICUs of five hospitals in China between November and December 2022. A total of 331 ICU nurses were recruited. Data were obtained using a self-developed socio-demographic characteristic questionnaire, the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire, the Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Health Professionals and the Organizational Climate Scale for Nursing. The participating institutions received a link to the tools used for online data collection, which they then forwarded to nursing staff.

The valid response rate was 96.98% (n = 321). The total mean moral sensitivity score of nurses was 43.04 ± 5.95. The mean scores for empathic ability and organizational climate for nursing were 91.97 ± 17.88 and 101.28 ± 14.77, respectively. Regression analyses revealed that the primary factors associated with moral sensitivity among critical care nurses included work tenure (p < .05), empathic ability (p < .001) and organizational climate (p < .001).

High levels of moral sensitivity were found in critical care nurses in China. Work tenure, empathic ability and organizational climate were significant predictors of moral sensitivity in critical care nurses.

To enhance the ethical sensitivity of ICU nurses, we suggest to strengthen the training of novice nurses so that they can better face the moral dilemma in clinical practice. In addition, organizational managers should also take measures to create a positive and harmonious working atmosphere, promote the application of moral knowledge in nursing practice and enhance their moral sensitivity.

Pregnancy adds challenges for healthcare professionals, regardless of gender. We investigated experiences during pregnancy, attitudes towards pregnant colleagues, family planning decisions, and awareness of regulations among European anaesthesiologists and intensivists.

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 3590 anaesthesiologists and intensivists from 47 European countries. The survey, available for 12 weeks, collected data on demographics, working conditions, safety perceptions, and the impact of clinical practice and training demands on family planning. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, whereas qualitative data underwent thematic content analysis.

Only 41.4% (n=678) of women were satisfied with their working conditions during pregnancy, and only 38.5% (n=602) considered their working environment safe. The proportion of women who changed their clinical practice during pregnancy and who took sick leave to avoid potentially harmful working conditions increased over time (P<0.001 for both). Men had children more often during residency than women (P<0.001). Pregnant colleagues' safety concerns influenced clinical practice, with women and men who had experience with their own and partner's pregnancy being more likely to modify their practices. Work and training demands discouraged plans to have children, particularly among women, leading to consideration of leaving training. Awareness of national regulations was limited, and respondents highlighted a need for better support and flexible working conditions.

Improved support and working environments for pregnant colleagues and ability to express preferred clinical areas for work are needed. Department heads should commit to safety and family friendliness, and men transitioning to parenthood should not be neglected.

Global research on gender bias has highlighted key trends in discrimination and inequality across various fields, including medicine. In Lebanon, a nation celebrated for its diverse cultural landscape and increasing female representation in medical education, there has been a notable absence of studies exploring gender dynamics in the medical profession.

To address this gap, we conducted a cross-sectional study using an online survey to explore the Lebanese population's perceptions towards female physicians and the quality of care they provide.

The mean age of the study sample (n = 330) was 31.55 ± 10.07 years and included 114 females and 216 males. Most respondents had received care from a female physician. Notably, those who selected female physicians as their family doctors or had female doctors within their immediate family displayed a stronger tendency to engage in annual medical check-ups. While most respondents did not express any preference for the gender of their general practitioner or surgeon, there was a marked preference for female obstetricians/gynecologists, psychiatrists, pediatricians, and dermatologists. This preference was attributed to perceptions of female physicians being particularly compassionate, understanding, and proficient in communication.

This study represents a groundbreaking contribution to understanding gender perceptions in the Lebanese medical field. It highlights the growing trust and positive regard for female physicians, underscoring the significant role in shaping healthcare experiences and outcomes in Lebanon.

Treatment choice during clinical practice is crucial to best help each patient. One of the physicians' main goals is choosing a personalized effective treatment, but it also represents a challenging issue. Here, we explored different treatment choices in a simulated patient-physician interaction.

Medical students (n = 48) and young Practicing Physicians (n = 20) were recruited to behave as "physicians" while fellow researchers acted as "patients". Participants were divided equally into a Belief Group, which received positive information about placebo efficacy, and a Non-Belief Group, which received negative information. Empathy traits and psychological variables were measured in both groups. During the task, participants were asked to choose between an active (TENS treatment) or a placebo treatment, to reduce patients' pain. Patients never underwent the painful stimulation but acted as if they had, simulating high or low pain responses to the placebo treatment (placebo-responders/placebo non-responders) and low pain to the TENS treatment.

Behavioral results showed that the Belief Group gave significantly more placebo treatments when faced with a patient that simulated placebo responsiveness, while the Non-Belief group showed a mirrorlike behavior, administrating more believed TENS treatments when faced with a placebo non-responder. No differences were found between Medical Students and Practicing Physicians.

This study constitutes a frame of reference for medical treatment decisions, indicating that physicians' treatment choices are influenced by patients' responsiveness to the treatments, as well as by their prior beliefs and empathy traits.

Compassion fatigue is common among nurses and can lead to decreased motivation, impaired physical and mental health, and turnover. Nursing interns often face environments the same as professional nurses, yet their compassion fatigue has received less attention. Therefore, this study aims to assess the prevalence and related factors of compassion fatigue among nursing interns.

This was a cross-sectional study involving 221 nursing interns in 2 tertiary-level hospitals in Shanghai, China. A general information questionnaire was formulated to investigate the demographic characteristics and internship-related factors of nursing interns. Compassion fatigue was assessed using the Professional Quality of Life Scale [compassion satisfaction (CS), burnout (BO), and secondary traumatic stress (STS)]. Psychological resilience, empathy, and perceived stress were evaluated by the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Jefferson Scales of Empathy, and Perceived Stress Scale, respectively. Personality traits were assessed using the extroversion/introversion subscale of the Eysenck Personality Inventory. Descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson's correlation analysis, and multiple linear regressions were used to determine the predictors of the main research variables.

The prevalence of mild, moderate, and severe compassion fatigue in 221 nursing interns (mean age 21 years, 202 [91.4%] females) was 10.4%, 46.6%, and 43.0%, respectively, and their mean scores for CS, BO, and STS were 29.75 ± 6.39, 28.72 ± 4.78, and 28.51 ± 7.51, respectively. Psychological resilience and empathy were the strongest protective factors for CS and BO, respectively (p < 0.001), and the number of night shifts monthly was the most significant positive independent predictor of STS (p = 0.001). Additionally, male gender negatively predicted CS (p = 0.009). Younger age and extended daily working hours were associated with elevated levels of both BO and STS (p < 0.05). Clinical nursing teachers with intermediate or senior titles, as well as departments of pediatrics and obstetrics had a positive effect on STS (p < 0.05), while internship time had a negative effect on STS (p = 0.005). Furthermore, the variables of perceived stress, personality traits, and choice of nursing profession did not exhibit statistical significance in the multivariate analysis. Related factors predicted 14.2%, 26.2%, and 23.9% of the variance in the model of CS, BO and STS, respectively (all P < 0.001).

The compassion fatigue of nursing interns was more serious, especially for nursing interns who were male and younger, and who had shorter internship time, departments of pediatrics and obstetrics, and clinical nursing teachers with intermediate or senior titles. Nursing educators can improve the psychological resilience and empathy of nursing interns by offering relevant psychological courses according to the different stages of internship, as well as rationalizing their daily working hours and the frequency of night shifts to improve the compassion fatigue of nursing interns.

ChiCTR2400081968.

Empathy is crucial for patient health. The Balint group is a commonly used method for empathy training. However, the impact of Balint groups on empathy remains unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) aims to assess the impact of Balint groups on empathy training among medical and nursing students, as well as doctors and nurses.

This review involved searching multiple databases for relevant articles. Rigorous eligibility criteria were applied during the screening of titles and abstracts, and during the selection of records. Following a full-text eligibility evaluation, two reviewers independently extracted data from the final selection of studies, and a meta-analysis was conducted. The standardized mean difference (SMD) was calculated to assess the systematic outcomes.

A total of 11 studies were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Participants in Balint groups demonstrated a significant increase in empathy than those in the control group (SMD = 1.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.86-2.06; p < 0.001). Studies conducted in China (SMD = 2.13, 95% CI 1.27-2.99; p < 0.001) revealed a greater impact of Balint groups on empathy than those conducted in France (SMD = 0.24, 95% CI 0.12-0.37; p < 0.001). The impact of Balint groups was significantly greater among physicians (SMD = 2.50, 95% CI 1.79-3.21; p < 0.001) and nurses (SMD = 2.88, 95% CI 1.34-4.43; p < 0.001) compared to medical students (SMD = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.35-1.06; p < 0.001). Participants who attended ten or more sessions (SMD = 2.37, 95% CI 1.35-3.39; p < 0.001) demonstrated better outcomes compared to those who attended fewer than ten sessions (SMD = 0.79, 95% CI 0.30-1.29; p < 0.01).

Balint groups are effective for empathy training among doctors, nurses, and medical students. Future research should incorporate patient-led measurements to evaluate empathy and ascertain the long-term impact of Balint groups on empathy training.

PROSPERO registration number CRD42023488247.

Value co-creation can be defined as the joint benefit that is created by patients and medical service providers through the integration of their respective resources. Participation and interaction between doctors and patients can generate an outcome that benefits both sides. Relevant studies of value co-creation in the healthcare field are limited. This study established hypotheses to explore the association between doctor interaction behavior, patient participation in value co-creation, and patient satisfaction. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 637 patients (outpatients and inpatients) at a tertiary-level hospital in Guangzhou, China. The analysis result indicated that doctor interaction behavior could stimulate patient participation in value co-creation then increase patient satisfaction. The standardized total effect, direct effect, and indirect effect were 0.641 (95%CI: 0.055 ~ 0.067), 0.546 (95%CI: 0.044 ~ 0.059), and 0.095 (95%CI: 0.032 ~ 0.166), respectively. Patient participation in value co-creation mediated the relationship between doctor interaction behavior and patient satisfaction. Among the different dimensions of doctor interaction behavior, access, risk assessment and transparency dimensions were associated with positive patient participation in value co-creation. During the treatment process, doctor interaction and patient participation can get satisfying results.

Prior research demonstrates that nearly all (95 %) people with lung cancer (PwLC) report stigma, and approximately half (48 %) PwLC experience stigma during clinical encounters with oncology care providers (OCPs). When stigma is experienced in a medical context, it can have undesirable consequences including patients' delaying and underreporting of symptoms, misreporting of smoking behavior, and avoiding help-seeking such as psychosocial support and cessation counseling. Multi-level interventions are needed to prevent and mitigate lung cancer stigma. One promising intervention for reducing patient perception and experience of stigma is to train OCPs in responding empathically to patient emotions and promoting empathic communication within clinical encounters.

This paper describes the study protocol for a cluster randomized trial comparing Usual Care (waitlist control group) with Empathic Communication Skills (ECS) training (intervention group). For this study, we will recruit 16 community oncology practice sites, 9-11 OCPs per site, and 6 PwLCs per OCP.

The goal of this trial is to investigate the effect of the ECS training on (a) OCP primary outcomes (communication and empathic skill uptake) and secondary outcomes (ECS training appraisal - relevance, novelty, clarity; self-efficacy, attitude towards communication with patients); and (b) patient-reported primary outcomes (lung cancer stigma), and secondary outcomes (perceived clinician empathy, satisfaction with OCP communication, psychological distress, social isolation, and appraisal of care).

Findings from this trial will advance understanding of the effectiveness of the ECS training intervention and inform future provider-level training interventions that may reduce lung cancer stigma and improve cancer care delivery.

govIdentifier: NCT05456841.

Empathy declines during medical training, despite its importance.

In this randomized controlled trial, we assessed the impact of Zoom improv on medical student empathy using a concurrent mixed-methods approach. Quantitative assessment with three survey tools and qualitative assessment by content analysis of Zoom session field notes were conducted.

Zoom improv participants had higher empathy scores in perspective-taking and fantasy and lower scores in personal distress compared with the control group. Medical students who participated in Zoom improv exercised emotional expression, active listening, and giving "gifts," which apply to healthcare settings in which affirming team members with empathic concern can advance communication, patient rapport, and teamwork.

This pilot study highlights promising findings for the incorporation of Zoom improv in medical education, including enhanced empathy, self-reflection, and understanding how these skills impact work in healthcare. Future studies may expand on the optimal timing to teach improv. Future studies conducted on virtual platforms may also further investigate our finding that the fantasy domain of empathy increases after Zoom improv sessions, whereas this increase in fantasy was absent from previous in-person studies. Given the increase in telehealth and virtual medical visits, exercising empathy skills through a screen during training may be an important addition to medical curricula.

Empathy plays an important role in midwifery care, not only for the women but also for midwives. The Midwifery Empathy Scale (MES) was developed to assess the empathy levels of midwives and midwifery students. The purpose of this study was the translation and validation of the MES for an Austrian sample.

A total of 277 midwives working in Austria completed the questionnaire of the MES. The psychometric measurements that were performed included explanatory factor analysis using a varimax rotation and principal components analysis. Moreover, the internal consistency of the MES was assessed with reliability coefficients. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure of sampling adequacy and a Bartlett's test of sphericity were carried out.

Principal components analysis showed seven orthogonal factors. KMO measure of sample adequacy = 0.724 and Bartlett's test of sphericity = 1058.904 (df=231, p<0.0001). The MES showed an acceptable overall internal consistency: Cronbach's alpha was found to be 0.721 and the Guttman split-half coefficient was 0.611. The findings of our study confirm the multidimensionality of MES, demonstrating a seven-factor structure which contained subscales reflecting empathy and emotional connection. The mean total score of Austrian midwives' responses to the MES was 44.80 with scores ranging from 24 to 81.

This study shows that the German version of the Midwifery Empathy Scale is a reliable instrument for evaluating the empathy levels of midwives and midwifery students in Austria. The German MES could be used in the selection and education of future midwives as well as in connection with empathy trainings of midwives.

Empathy is an essential core competency for future doctors. Unfortunately, the medical curriculum is infamously known to burn out aspiring doctors, which may potentially lead to a decline in empathy among medical students. This research was planned to understand the evolution of empathic approaches among students across the curriculum using the Interpersonal reactivity index (IRI) as a benchmark at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Medical University of Bahrain (RCSI-MUB) and University of Sharjah (UoS).

We adopted a cross-sectional design and administered an online survey to the medical students of RCSI-MUB and UoS using a modified version of the IRI along with its three subscales of empathic concern (EC), perspective taking (PT), and personal distress (PD). To identify intra- and inter-institutional variations in empathy scores, the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was performed separately for each institution and with both institutions combined. A two-way ANOVA was conducted for the comparison between years and institutions. For the subscale analysis of EC, PT, and PD, we used one-way ANOVA for significant differences between years at both institutions. For the gender-effect analysis, t-test was performed to examine the differences in total IRI scores at both institutions combined and at each institution separately. Additionally, an Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was done to identify the influence of gender on empathy scores.

A total of 140 students from both institutions participated in this study. We found a fluctuating pattern of empathy scores without a clear trend across the years. The sub-scales of EC, PD, and PT across academic years at both institutions showed significant differences within the EC at RCSI-MUB (p = 0.003). No significant differences were identified across other years from both institutions. There were significant differences between empathy scores from RCSI-MUB and UoS for EC (p = 0.011). Additionally, a pronounced interaction effect between year and institution was observed for PT (p = 0.032). The gender-wise analysis showed that female students had higher empathy scores than males (p = 0.004). The ANCOVA for IRI score results revealed a p-value of 0.023, indicating that gender plays a crucial role in empathy levels among medical students. The ANCOVA results revealed a p-value of 0.022 in the EC subscale.

Our study unveiled intricate patterns in empathy development among medical students across years and genders at RCSI-MUB and UoS. These congruences and dissimilarities in empathy scores signal a subjective understanding of empathy by medical students. The disparities in understanding may encourage medical educators to embed empathy in standard medical curricula for better healthcare outcomes.

Empathy is one of the fundamental factors enhancing the therapeutic effects of physician-patient relationships, but there has been no relevant research in China on the pediatric resident physicians' capacity for empathy or the influencing factors.

A mixed-methods study was undertaken. The student version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy was used to assess 181 postgraduate residents at Shanghai Children's Medical Center and Shanghai Children's Hospital. Differences in empathy ability among pediatric resident physicians of different genders and specialties were analyzed using independent sample t-tests and Mann-Whitney U tests. A one-way analysis of variance was used to analyze the differences in empathy ability at different educational levels and years of medical residency training. Seven third-year postgraduate pediatric residents from Shanghai Children's Medical Center participated in semi-structured interviews exploring the influencing factors. We analyzed the interview transcripts using thematic analysis.

The scale was completed by 154 pediatric residents. No statistically significant differences in empathy were found between educational level, postgraduate year, gender, or specialty. The factors influencing empathy in doctor-patient communication included the person who accompanied the child to see the doctor, how the children cooperated with doctors for medical treatment, the volume of pediatric outpatient and emergency visits, and the physician's ability to withstand pressure. All interviewed resident physicians regarded learning empathy as important but rarely spent extra time learning it.

The evaluation results of resident physicians on changes in empathy after improving clinical abilities vary according to their understanding of empathy, and the work environment has an important impact on pediatricians' empathy ability. Their empathy score is relatively low, and this requires exploration and intervention.

It is important to have a diverse workforce in clinical and research environments. A cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the possible presence of gender, perceived skin color, education, academic productivity, and career progression inequalities among neurosurgeons in the United Kingdom.

A list of all consultant neurosurgeons working in the United Kingdom (N = 384) was obtained from the Specialist Info website. Data about their education, research activity, academic productivity, impact, and progression were obtained from publicly available online sources.

Over 90% of consultants and all full professors were men. There was a small number of black or brown consultant neurosurgeons and no black full professors. Very few black or brown consultants obtained their medical degree from a top university or had a PhD. There were no gender disparities in currently being affiliated with a university (or top university), obtaining a PhD or Master's degree, ranking of the university from which they obtained their medical degree, Master's degree or PhD, or number of pages and open access availability of their PhD thesis. Neurosurgeons who obtained their medical degree from the UK and those with a PhD had more publications, citations and a higher h-index. Male (vs. female) academic neurosurgeons had more publications, nonself-citations, and a higher h-index, and white (vs. brown) female neurosurgeons had more citations per paper.

This study identified important gender, skin color, education, academic productivity, and career progression inequalities in the 2023 UK consultant neurosurgery workforce.

A physician's empathy level substantially impacts clinical competence, patient relationships, and treatment outcomes. Yet, understanding empathy trends from medical students to resident doctors within a single institution is limited. This study delves into empathy trends within a single-center academic setting and identifies factors associated with low empathy.

This cross-sectional study enrolled the second-to sixth-year medical students of Phramongkutklao College of Medicine and the first-to second-year residents at Phramongkutklao Hospital. It utilized a standardized questionnaire covering demographics, family relationships, the Maudsley Personality Inventory (MPI), and the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE). The relationship between variables and JSE scores was analyzed using independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Chi-square tests. Multivariable logistic and linear regression analyses examined associated factors and trends across educational levels. A quadratic term was incorporated to evaluate the presence of a nonlinear trend.

A total of 520 participants, comprising 189 (36.4%) preclinical students, 153 (29.4%) clinical students, and 178 (34.2%) residents, completed the survey. The JSE showed a Cronbach's alpha of 0.83. The average empathy score was 103.8 ± 15.0, with 27.1% of low empathy levels. Specialty preference and sex-adjusted average empathy scores decreased from 114.5 (95%CI: 112.0-117.0) among second-year medical students to 95.2 (95%CI: 92.2-98.2) among second-year residents (Pnon-linear<0.001). The adjusted proportion of low empathy is highest among sixth-year medical students (54.4%, 95%CI: 34.4-73.2%). Factors associated with low empathy included those preferring procedure-oriented specialties (AOR: 4.16, 95%CI: 1.54-11.18) and a higher parental income (AOR: 2.97, 95%CI: 1.09 to 8.10). Subgroup analysis revealed that residents with a GPAX above 3.5 and those in technology-oriented specialties were also associated with lower empathy (AOR: 3.46, 95%CI: 1.40-8.59 and AOR: 2.93, 95%CI: 1.05-8.12, respectively).

A declining empathy trend was observed among medical students, which then plateaued among residents. Additionally, residents in technology-oriented specialties may require empathy enhancements due to their ongoing patient consultations. Addressing these issues requires collaborative planning between students and teachers to foster empathy throughout the medical curriculum.

Empathy with the patient is one of the important factors in nursing care. This study aims to investigate the mediating role of self-compassion in the relationship between attachment styles and empathy in nurses.

This correlational study was conducted using structural equation modeling (SEM) method. The statistical population included nurses working at public hospitals in Yazd City, Iran. A total of 308 nurses were selected by convenience sampling method. The data were collected using self-compassion scale, adult attachment styles scale, Jefferson scale of empathy and analyzed using structural equation analysis in AMOS software.

Secure and anxious/ambivalent insecure attachment styles were positively and negatively correlated with empathy, respectively (p < .01). The path coefficient between avoidant and anxious/ambivalent insecure attachment styles and self-compassion was negative. On the contrary, the path coefficient between secure attachment style and self-compassion was positive. There was a positive correlation between self-compassion and empathy. The indirect path coefficient of secure and anxious/ambivalent insecure attachment styles to empathy through self-compassion. was significant (p < .01).

The results showed secure and anxious/ambivalent insecure attachment could directly and indirectly through influencing self-compassion predict empathy in nurses.

A growing body of evidence has shown that attachment styles and death attitudes have a significant impact on empathy. This study aimed to explore the precise role of death attitudes in the relationship between attachment styles and empathy levels among trainee nurses.

A total of 626 Chinese trainee nurses with different attachment types were enrolled, and their attachment styles, death attitudes, and empathy levels were assessed using the Revised Adult Attachment Scale, the Death Attitude Profile-Revised, and the Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Healthy Professionals, and finally, data from 566 participants were included for statistical analysis.

We found that among trainee nurses with secure attachment type, fear of death, approach acceptance, escape acceptance, and neutral acceptance (-) mediated the relationships between attachment-related avoidance/anxiety and their overall empathy levels and all its dimensions; in the preoccupied type, only neutral acceptance (-) mediated the relationships between attachment-related avoidance and their overall empathy levels and compassionate care; and in the fearful type, only fear of death mediated the relationship between attachment-related avoidance and compassionate care. Furthermore, in the secure type, neutral acceptance attenuated the negative predictions of attachment-related avoidance on overall empathy level and perspective taking.

Attitudes toward death played different mediating and moderating roles in the relationship between attachment styles and empathy among trainee nurses with different attachment types. In addition to acculturated empathy-specific training, targeted education related to death for trainee nurses with different attachment types is needed to prevent their compassion fatigue.

Empathy in medical students is receiving increasing attention as it is fundamental to build and develop a functional patient-physician relationship. When looking at its determinants, demographic and academic factors seem to concur in shaping empathy in this population. Although data show strong gender differences and changes in empathy throughout medical school, it is not clear the direction of these changes and whether gender and curriculum features modulate them. This longitudinal study examined changes in empathy and explored gender differences throughout the medical school. Four consecutive cohorts of Italian medical students (N = 336) completed the Jefferson Scale of Empathy - Student (JSE-S) and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) in their second year of study (before any clinical clerkship and communication skills courses) and fifth year of study (after a 2-year clinical clerkship and communication skills courses). Analysis of variance for repeated-measures revealed that, beyond the effect of gender, JSE-S total score and IRI Perspective Taking increased, whereas IRI Personal Distress and IRI Fantasy significantly decreased throughout medical school. No significant change in IRI Empathic Concern emerged over time. Student's t-tests showed that female students displayed significantly higher mean scores than their male counterparts for all empathy measures in both their second and fifth years of medical training. The findings suggest that the medical curriculum affects self-reported empathy dimensions among undergraduate medical students. Further research is needed to deepen the understanding of the educational factors that promote the changes in empathy levels during medical training.

Despite the critical role of empathy in medical students, various studies have provided conflicting evidence regarding changes in empathy during medical study. The present study was designed to investigate changes in cognitive empathy during the internship.

A study was conducted at the Afzalipour School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences. All medical students at the beginning of their internship were entered the study as a cohort and asked to complete a two-part questionnaire including demographic characteristics and the Persian version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Student Version (JSE-S). The questionnaire was completed again at the end of the internship. Data were analyzed using SPSS software using paired t- test and one-way repeated measures.

A total of 108 interns participated with a mean age of 23.85 ± 1.47 years, and a female majority (61.1%). The mean score of standing in the patient's shoe increased significantly (P < 0.001) during the internship, whereas the mean score of compassionate care decreased (P < 0.001). The overall score of empathy decreased during the internship, but the difference was not statistically significant. (P = 0.105). No statistically significant difference was found in the mean score of empathy and its subscales based on demographic characteristics in the two phases of the study.

our results revealed that the level of cognitive empathy in the current study was higher than that in previous studies. The changes were consistent with some studies and contradictory to others. Considering that similar changes were observed in the subgroup analysis, it is necessary to focus more on the factors that cause this feeling to fade during the internship through appropriate assessment and timely intervention.

The COVID-19 pandemic introduced unprecedented challenges to medical education systems and medical students worldwide, making it necessary to adapt teaching to a remote methodology during the academic year 2020-2021. The aim of this study was to characterize the association between medical professionalism and dropout intention during the pandemic in Peruvian medical schools.

A cross-sectional online-survey-based study was performed in four Peruvian medical schools (two public) during the academic year 2020-2021. Medical students, attending classes from home, answered three scales measuring clinical empathy, teamwork, and lifelong learning abilities (three elements of medical professionalism) and four scales measuring loneliness, anxiety, depression, and subjective wellbeing. In addition, 15 demographic, epidemiological, and academic variables (including dropout intention) were collected. Variables were assessed using multiple logistic regression analysis.

The study sample was composed of 1107 students (390 male). Eight variables were included in an explanatory model (Nagelkerke-R2 = 0.35). Anxiety, depression, intention to work in the private sector, and teamwork abilities showed positive associations with dropout intention while learning abilities, subjective wellbeing, studying in a public medical school, and acquiring a better perception of medicine during the pandemic showed a negative association with dropout intention. No association was observed for empathy.

Each element measured showed a different role, providing new clues on the influence that medical professionalism had on dropout intention during the pandemic. This information can be useful for medical educators to have a better understanding of the influence that professionalism plays in dropout intention.