Outline for Empathy-Based Medical Education

Abstract

Empathy has been recognized in recent years to play a central role for the successful practice of medicine. Hence, developing empathetic skills needs to be the underlying objective during the training of undergraduate medical students as well as in continuous education of health professionals. However, during the process of medical education, the quality of empathy that is naturally present within the student has been found to decline. The task is to achieve the process of learning medicine and at the same time preserve and foster the quality of empathy. Spontaneous learning based on one’s own interest, is a form of self-directed learning that taps the student’s sense of curiosity about the problem and concern for the patient. Knowledge is acquired in a case-centered manner. All evaluations to be done through case-based discussions. The textbooks in each subject are to be treated as knowledge repositories for choosing the topics that need to be learnt. The ‘self-directed spontaneous learning’ ensures creativity in approach to problems, optimum utilization of one’s time and avoids stress. The student’s connection with his or her own ‘inner self’ is crucial for a focused and creative mind; therefore, its cultivation through the process of meditation is important. Empathy-based medical education-EBME facilitates the training of doctors who are competent as well as empathetic. Keeping the subjective aspect of education as the base while acquiring the objective aspect, leads to balance between competence and empathy.