Comparison of empathy profiles of medical students at the start and in the advanced clinical phase of their training.

Abstract

Background: The National Competence Based Catalogue of Learning Objectives for Undergraduate Medical Education (NKLM) cites empathy as a basic competence for medical doctors. Based on a multidimensional concept of clinical empathy, empathy profiles of medical students at the start of their training and in the 9^th semester were identified and compared in order to draw conclusions for the conception of effective course offers.

Method: Using the Saarbrücker Personality Questionnaire on Empathy (SPF-IRI), self-rated empathy was recorded in a cross-sectional study of medical students (1^st semester: N=192/9^th semester: N=221). Two Stage Clustering was performed for data analysis.

Result: Three empathy profiles which could be meaningfully delineated by content were identified: 1. reflected, functional empathy, 2. unreflected, burdensome empathy and 3. distancing and avoidance. Students in the 9^th semester mostly tended toward unreflected, burdensome empathy. Only one-third appeared capable of feeling empathy with patients while at the same time adequately regulating their own emotions and thus protecting themselves from emotional overload.

Conclusion: An adequately reflected and functional empathy among medical students can neither be assumed at the start of their training, nor do existing course offers appear to provide sufficient training for this. Empathy should thus be implemented as a competence which needs to be promoted over the entire course of study. Emotion regulation plays a key role.