Measuring empathy in medical students: A cross-sectional study

Authors

  • Muhammad Zafar Iqbal Department of Medical Education, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5605-8143
  • Areej Riyadh AlBuraikan Department of Surgery, King Fahad Teaching Hospital of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Khobar, Saudi Arabia
  • Afnan Abdullah AlQarni Department of Internal Medicine, King Fahad Teaching Hospital of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Khobar, Saudi Arabia
  • Hanan Abdulaziz AlQahtani Department of Surgery, King Fahad Teaching Hospital of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Khobar, Saudi Arabia
  • Alyaa Mohammad AlOhali Department of Pediatrics, King Fahad Teaching Hospital of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Khobar, Saudi Arabia
  • Malak Mohammed AlMusaileem Department of Orthopedic Surgery, King Fahad Teaching Hospital of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Khobar, Saudi Arabia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47391/JPMA.3226

Abstract

Objective: To measure the empathy levels of undergraduate medical students, and to explore whether the empathy level has any significant association with gender, academic year and academic achievement.

Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted at the College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, from January to March 2020, and comprised medical students. Data was collected using the pre-validated student version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy. Data was analysed using SPSS 23.

Results: Of the 391 students, 251(64.19%) were females, and 140(35.8%) were males. The overall mean empathy score was 105.18+/-12.51. Second year medical students showed the highest empathy score 108.59+/-13.33. There was minor but significant decline in empathy as the students progressed through their academic studies (p<0.05). Empathy scores were significantly higher in female students (p<0.05), and students with higher grade point average scores (p<0.05).

Conclusion: The gradual reduction in empathy is alarming and demands due attention.

Author Biographies

Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, Department of Medical Education, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia

Lecturer of medical education, Department of Medical Education, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

Areej Riyadh AlBuraikan, Department of Surgery, King Fahad Teaching Hospital of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Khobar, Saudi Arabia

MBBS graduate and currently an intern at King Fahd Teaching Hospital of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University

Afnan Abdullah AlQarni, Department of Internal Medicine, King Fahad Teaching Hospital of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Khobar, Saudi Arabia

MBBS graduate and currently an intern at King Fahd Teaching Hospital of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University

Hanan Abdulaziz AlQahtani, Department of Surgery, King Fahad Teaching Hospital of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Khobar, Saudi Arabia

MBBS graduate and currently an intern at King Fahd Teaching Hospital of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University

Alyaa Mohammad AlOhali, Department of Pediatrics, King Fahad Teaching Hospital of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Khobar, Saudi Arabia

MBBS graduate and currently an intern at King Fahd Teaching Hospital of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University

Malak Mohammed AlMusaileem , Department of Orthopedic Surgery, King Fahad Teaching Hospital of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Khobar, Saudi Arabia

MBBS graduate and currently an intern at King Fahd Teaching Hospital of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University

Published

2022-01-28

How to Cite

Iqbal, M. Z., Riyadh AlBuraikan, A. ., Abdullah AlQarni, A., Abdulaziz AlQahtani, H., Mohammad AlOhali, A., & Mohammed AlMusaileem , M. . (2022). Measuring empathy in medical students: A cross-sectional study. Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, 72(6), 1101–1105. https://doi.org/10.47391/JPMA.3226

Issue

Section

Research Article