Empathy In Medical Students Research Articles

The effects of an educational intervention on reducing stigma among medical students toward patients with psychiatric disorders

BackgroundStigma surrounding psychiatric disorders persists among medical students, who represent the future of healthcare provision. The reluctance of these students to engage with patients with psychiatric conditions poses challenges in delivering appropriate healthcare services. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an educational package on reducing stigma and altering attitudes toward patients with mental illnesses among medical students.MethodsThis interventional and quasi-experimental study enrolled medical students who entered in a 4-week clinical post in psychiatry wards from September 2021 to February 2022. Each group of students was randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. All students in the two groups underwent practical training in psychiatry wards. An anti-stigma educational package was provided for the students in the intervention group. This package consisted of three components, including a one-hour virtual training session titled “Stigma, its importance, and coping strategies”, watching three short documentary films on the experiences of successfully treated patients with mental illness, and writing a reflection after a face-to-face interview with a hospitalized patient. The Attitudes Toward Mental Illness (ATMI) questionnaire was used to evaluate the attitudes of all students at the end of the rotation. Additionally, content analysis was performed on the reflection writings of the intervention group.ResultsThe intervention group (n = 142) and control group (n = 92) showed slight changes in ATMI. The effect sizes were small. Both the intervention and control groups demonstrated significant improvements in attitudes toward the treatment of mental illness. Content analysis of reflection writings highlighted increased awareness, empathy, and medical students’ need for more educational content on the significance of stigma and how to address it.ConclusionsThe educational intervention did not significantly impact medical students’ attitudes toward patients with psychiatric disorders; however, the standard clinical training and exposure to psychiatric patients may be sufficient to enhance students’ perspectives on the treatability of mental illness. Writing a reflection regarding face-to-face exposure with a patient with mental illness may increase awareness and empathy in medical students. Further investigation is needed to assess the long-term effects of reflection on medical students’ behavior.

Investigating alexithymia, empathy, and resilience in medical students during pandemic era: a cross-sectional study in northern Iran

Background and aimAlexithymia is defined as emotional response inhibition. As well, empathy refers to the ability to put oneself in someone’s position and resilience is the capacity to recover from a series of negative emotional experiences. Considering the psychological distress induced by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic together with academic stress and the role of empathy in physician–patient relationships, the present study was to investigate alexithymia, empathy, and resilience in Iranian medical interns and residents.Materials and methodsThis cross-sectional study was fulfilled in northern Iran in 2021–2022. In total, 394 medical interns and residents were initially recruited for this purpose. Then, an online sociodemographic survey form (SDSF), the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE), the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) were completed. The data analysis was performed using the IBM SPSS Statistics (ver.26) software in regard to the p < 0.05 significance level.ResultsThe mean age of the study participants was 28.8 ± 5.00. As well, 38.1% of these individuals were male, 62.2% of the cases were single, and 54.6% of them were medical interns. The mean value of empathy, resilience and alexithymia was 89.90 ± 14.00, 49.75 ± 10.56, and 46.40 ± 16.40, respectively. No significant relationship was found between empathy and educational level (p = 0.532). As well, medical interns empathy and resilience than residents (p = 0.000 & p = 0.000, respectively). Besides, male participants had more empathy and resilience (p = 0.000 & p = 0.007).ConclusionLow empathy and resilience in medical interns and residents, especially in women who make up the majority of them, can be a warning for health care in Iran.

Zoom Improv is accessible and enhances medical student empathy

BackgroundEmpathy declines during medical training, despite its importance.MethodologyIn 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.ResultsZoom 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.DiscussionThis 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.

The interconnection between social media addiction, alexithymia and empathy in medical students.

This study explores whether high alexithymia values correlate with low levels of empathy, while also trying to identify potential connections with social media addiction. We hypothesized that alexithymia mediates the relationship between social media addiction and empathy levels in a sample of undergraduate students. The study population consisted of 649 medical students in the 4th/5th/6th University year, recruited between March and May 2021. For this assessment, we employed three psychometric instruments: the Toronto Empathy Questionnaire (TEQ), the Social Media Addiction Scale-Student Form (SMAS-SF), and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). A pathway analysis investigated alexithymia as a mediator between social media addiction and the degree of empathy in medical undergraduates. Sobel's test and the Baron and Kenny approach were used for testing mediation. The TEQ total mean score was 48.76 ± 5.65, while the TAS-20 total mean score was 47.71 ± 11.49. Further analysis of the TAS-20 scale scores showed that 21.42% of students had possible alexithymia, while 14.02% had clear alexithymia. The SMAS-SF total mean score was 73.20 ± 14.59. None of the students reported levels consistent with major social media addiction. The mediated effect of the TAS-20 is about 1.3 times larger than the direct effect of the SMAS-SF on TEQ. We found a significant negative correlation between empathy and alexithymia in medical students. Alexithymia was a mediator between social media addiction and empathy. Therefore, we recommend further efforts to identify potential levels of alexithymia in medical students, in order to successfully develop tailored interventions aimed at increasing their emotional awareness.

The Level of Empathy of First-Year Medical Students

The article discusses the importance of developing universal competencies for future doctors. The emphasis is on an adequate level of empathy. The results of testing of 814 students enrolled in the first year of medical school are presented. 82% of the respondents demonstrated a normal level of empathy, which is observed in most of all people. However, it is insufficient to be successful in the medical profession. The degree of expression of empathy among students at various faculties is analyzed.

Impact of simulated patient-based communication training vs. real patient-based communication training on empathetic behaviour in undergraduate students – a prospective evaluation study

BackgroundEmpathy is a key competency and is essential for doctor-patient relationships. Studies have proven a continuous reduction of empathy in medical students during their study period. The use of SPs is positively evaluated for competency acquisition and real patient communication training has positive effects on empathy empowerment. Therefore, the present study focusses on the impact of simulated patient (SP) vs real patient (RP) communication training on empathetic behaviour in undergraduate medical students.MethodsThe prospective evaluation took place during a 210-minute skills lab unit on medical communication for 3rd year medical students. Study participants were allocated in advance to one of three groups: one group trained with an SP (SP-group) and was informed about the fact that it was an SP; another group trained with an SP but assumed to encounter an RP (incognito patient group (IP-group)); the last group trained with an RP and was correctly informed about it (real patient group (RP-group). Self-assessed empathy was measured by using Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy (JSPE) and Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), as these are the most commonly used instruments for assessing empathy. Study participants were evaluated on empathetic behaviour by their group-associated patient using the Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) scale.Results146 students participated. There was no significant difference in self-assessed empathy between groups for JSPE and IRI. External assessment via CARE showed a statistically significant difference between SP-group and IP-group , as well as between SP-group and RP-group. There was no significant difference between IP-group and RP-group. This means that students training with real patients (or who believed them to be real) did receive significantly lower performance ratings on their empathy.ConclusionThe results demonstrate a significant lower external empathy rating for students who had trained with a real patient or if they were in the belief of having encountered a real patient; this may be due to inhibitions and a lack of routine. Therefore, we recommend implementing SPs in the early study period with the gradual integration of RPs in the student’s further course of study.

Cognitive empathy variations during internship: a study from Iran

ObjectiveDespite 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.MethodA 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.ResultsA 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.Conclusionour 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.

Is there an association among spirituality, resilience and empathy in medical students?

BackgroundSpirituality has religious and nonreligious dimensions and is often linked to well-being, positive emotions, connection and meaning in life. Both empathy and resilience are important in medical training and future professional practice since they are considered core skills related to professionalism and patient care. Our study aimed to understand the relationships among spirituality, resilience, and empathy in medical students. We also aimed to determine whether there are differences by gender and between medical students in different years of a medical program.MethodsMedical students (n = 1370) of the first to fourth years of a six-year medical program, from six medical schools, completed questionnaires to assess empathy (Jefferson Empathy Scale and Davis Multidimensional Interpersonal Reactivity Scale) and resilience (Wagnild & Young Scale) and to rate their spirituality.ResultsMedical students with high spirituality showed higher scores for both resilience and empathy (p < 0.001). In addition, we observed higher levels of both spirituality and empathy, but not resilience, in female medical students than in male medical students. In contrast, we did not detect significant differences in spirituality, empathy, or resilience between students in different years of medical school.ConclusionMedical students with high levels of spirituality have also higher scores for both empathy and resilience. Spirituality, empathy and resilience have similar values for students in different years of a medical program.

The association between empathy and burnout in medical students: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundBurnout levels in medical students are higher than in other student groups. Empathy is an increasingly desired outcome of medical schools. Empathy is negatively associated with burnout in physicians. Our objective was to quantitatively review the available literature on associations between empathy and burnout in medical students, and to explore associations between specific empathy aspects (cognitive and affective) and burnout sub-dimensions (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal accomplishment).MethodsA comprehensive search of the literature published up until January 2024 was undertaken in the PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, The Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO databases. Two independent reviewers screened 498 records and quality-rated and extracted data from eligible studies. The effect size correlations (ESr) were pooled using a random-effects model and between-study variation explored with meta-regression. The review was preregistered with PROSPERO (#CRD42023467670) and reported following the PRISMA guidelines.ResultsTwenty-one studies including a total of 27,129 medical students published between 2010 and 2023 were included. Overall, empathy and burnout were negatively and statistically significantly associated (ESr: -0.15, 95%CI [-0.21; -0.10], p < .001). When analyzing sub-dimensions, cognitive empathy was negatively associated with emotional exhaustion (ESr: -0.10, 95%CI [-0.17; -0.03], p = .006) and depersonalization (ESr: -0.15, 95%CI [-0.24; 0.05], p = .003), and positively associated with personal accomplishment (ESr: 0.21, 95%CI [0.12; 0.30], p < .001). Affective empathy was not statistically significantly associated with emotional exhaustion, depersonalization or personal accomplishment. Supplementary Bayesian analysis indicated the strongest evidence for the positive association between cognitive empathy and personal accomplishment. Response rate and gender moderated the relationship so that higher response rates and more male respondents strengthen the negative association between empathy and burnout.ConclusionGreater empathy, in particular cognitive empathy, is associated with lower burnout levels in medical students. This appears to be primarily driven by cognitive empathy's positive association with personal accomplishment.Protocol registration#CRD42023467670

Empathy in undergraduate medical students: a multi-center cross-sectional study in China

BackgroundFostering empathy has been continuously emphasized in the global medical education. Empathy is crucial to enhance patient-physician relationships, and is associated with medical students’ academic and clinical performance. However, empathy level of medical students in China and related influencing factors are not clear.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study among medical students in 11 universities. We used the Jefferson Scale of Empathy Student-version of Chinese version to measure empathy level of medical students. Factors associated with empathy were identified by the univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Based on the variables identified above, the nomogram was established to predict high empathy probability of medical students. Receiver operating characteristic curve, calibration plot and decision curve analysis were used to evaluate the discrimination, calibration and educational utility of the model.ResultsWe received 10,901 samples, but a total of 10,576 samples could be used for further analysis (effective response rate of 97.02%). The mean empathy score of undergraduate medical students was 67.38 (standard deviation = 9.39). Six variables including gender, university category, only child or not, self-perception doctor-patient relationship in hospitals, interest of medicine, Kolb learning style showed statistical significance with empathy of medical students (P < 0.05). Then, the nomogram was established based on six variables. The validation suggested the nomogram model was well calibrated and had good utility in education, as well as area under the curve of model prediction was 0.65.ConclusionsWe identify factors influencing empathy of undergraduate medical students. Moreover, increasing manifest and hidden curriculums on cultivating empathy of medical students may be needed among medical universities or schools in China.

Resilience as a Modulating Factor of Empathy in Medical Students

Resilience as a Modulating Factor of Empathy in Medical Students

Fostering empathy in Chinese medical students: the role of Balint groups facilitation

Fostering empathy in Chinese medical students: the role of Balint groups facilitation

Designing, implementation and evaluation of story reading: a solution to increase general empathy in medical students

BackgroundCommunication and mutual understanding among healthcare providers is a significant concern within the healthcare system, and enhancing empathy is one way to foster effective communication and mutual understanding. The aim of this research is to evaluate and compare the impact of story reading on the level of empathy in medical students at Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences.MethodsThe study employed an intervention educational design (a quasi-experimental), with a convenience sample of 51 medical students selected as the statistical population. The process of story reading was conducted over six two-hour virtual sessions in the students' classroom, spanning six weeks. Selected stories were discussed in an online virtual class under the supervision of an instructor, focusing on story elements. To assess students' empathy in this educational program, the Davis General Empathy Questionnaire was administered before each of the six sessions, after, and one week later at the end of the course. Statistical analysis of the collected data was performed using repeated measures analysis of variance and Bonferroni's post hoc test through SPSS version 28 software, with a significance level set at 0.05.ResultsThe findings revealed that 27 participants (58.7%) were female students, with the remaining being male students, having an average age of 19.5 ± 0.86 years. The level of general empathy among the students significantly increased after the intervention compared to before the intervention (P<0.001). Furthermore, the analysis of variance with repeated measures indicated a significant effect of the story reading program on enhancing empathy in terms of emotional and cognitive transfer among students in the intervention group (P<0.001).ConclusionsThe research findings suggest that the story reading program effectively enhances the overall sense of empathy among medical students at the University of Medical Sciences. Therefore, implementing this method in universities, higher education centers, libraries, and psychology centers for teaching empathy can be valuable in fostering empathy skills and improving healthcare.

Does Medical Curriculum Impact on Empathy? A Longitudinal Study in a Sample of Undergraduate Medical Students

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.

Does following a breast cancer patient for a day enhance medical student empathy?

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that following a breast cancer patient for a day would enhance empathy in medical students. Materials and methods This was a theory-testing case study of 4th year medical students completing a one week clinical attachment in breast disease in a UK University teaching hospital, in which half were assigned to an intervention of ‘Follow a Patient’ for a day, and the other half were controls. Reflective writing produced by the students at the end of the week was analysed using grounded theory and thematic analysis. The results were then unblinded to explore possible differences between the two groups of students. Results Thematic analysis of 52 student reflections identified 14 open codes which grouped into five global themes, one of which was ‘Demonstrates Empathy’. A total of 20 students demonstrated empathy in their writing, 15/27 from the study group and 5/25 from the control group, a difference that was significantly different p < .01. Conclusions This ‘Follow a Patient’ strategy is a useful model to include within an undergraduate curriculum to enhance medical student empathy.

Towards an empathic hidden curriculum in medical school: A roadmap.

The "hidden curriculum" in medical school includes a stressful work environment, un-empathic role models, and prioritisation of biomedical knowledge. It can provoke anxiety and cause medical students to adapt by becoming cynical, distanced and less empathic. Lower empathy, in turn, has been shown to harm patients as well as practitioners. Fortunately, evidence-based interventions can counteract the empathy dampening effects of the hidden curriculum. These include early exposure to real patients, providing students with real-world experiences, training role models, assessing empathy training, increasing the focus on the biopsychosocial model of disease, and enhanced wellbeing education. Here, we provide an overview of these interventions. Taken together, they can bring about an "empathic hidden curriculum" which can reverse the decline in medical student empathy.

Using the Skill of Noticing to Support Empathy for Third-Year Medical Students in Family Medicine.

Previous research has described a waning interest among third-year students to employ empathetic practice along with decreased opportunity to develop empathic communication skills. In this study we sought to address this decline using the skill of noticing (ie, the capacity to attune to specific aspects of practice and interactions) as an intervention for third-year medical students. We designed a qualitative study to address the following research question: How can a focused noticing tool encourage empathetic moments during the patient interview for third-year medical students? Eight third-year medical students used the Social Emotional Noticing Tool (SENT) during their 4-week family medicine rotation, then joined a focus group to share their experiences with SENT and articulate barriers and opportunities toward practicing empathy during clerkship. Student participants (a) described using the tool, including barriers and opportunities; (b) made connections between the practice of noticing using SENT and enacting empathy; and (c) emphasized how enacting empathy in their third year is largely influenced by interactions with clinical faculty. The use of SENT helped students notice empathy or lack thereof. However, making connections between individual capacity for empathic interactions and the impact of positive or negative role models is necessary. Based on our findings, we encourage the need for shared responsibility among students, faculty and preceptors, and organizations.

Association of Vedic Personality Traits and Empathy among Medical Students: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Medical students are expected to provide compassionate and empathic care to their patients. Empathy is a crucial component of the doctor-patient relationship. The Triguna theory is a fundamental concept in Hindu philosophy that describes three inherent qualities of nature: Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. Each individual has a unique combination of these qualities, which shapes their personality and behaviour. However, the relationship between Triguna personality and empathy in medical students has not been explored in depth. Aim: To examine the association between Triguna personality and empathy in medical students. Materials and Methods: The present study was a crosssectional questionnaire-based survey conducted among firstphase medical undergraduates in the Department of Physiology, Rama Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India from July 2024 to August 2024. A total of 122 medical students participated in the study. The Vedic Personality Inventory (VPI) was used for assessing personality, and the Brief form of Interpersonal Reactivity Index (B-IRI) was used for assessing empathy. Correlational analysis and an unpaired student’s t-test were performed. Results: There were 122 subjects; the proportion of male and female students was 52 (42.6%) and 70 (57.4%), respectively. The mean± Standard Deviation (SD) age was 20.43±1.23 years. Sattva score was positively correlated with Perspective-taking (PT) (r=0.193, p&lt;0.05) and negatively correlated with Personal Distress (PD) scores (r=-0.322, p&lt;0.01). Tamas scores were positively correlated with Fantasy (FT) (r=0.251, p&lt;0.01) and PD scores (r=0.401, p&lt;0.01). Female participants demonstrated significantly higher mean scores as compared to males in Empathic Concern (EC) (16.9±2.681 vs. 14.730±2.951), PT (15.442±2.618 vs. 14.038±2.779), and PD (13.552±2.776 vs. 12.288±3.291) in the present study. There was no significant difference in Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas scores between males and females. Conclusion: The study explores the association between the VPI traits, such as Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas, and empathy measures. Sattva shows a positive correlation with Perspective Taking (PT) and a negative correlation with PD, indicating that individuals with higher Sattva scores are likely to exhibit better social competence and emotional stability. Additionally, gender differences were observed in empathy scores, with females scoring higher than males in PT, EC, and PD, emphasising the relevance of considering personality traits in medical education to foster empathic skills among healthcare professionals.

Measurement Properties of an Arabic Version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE) in Moroccan Medical Students.

Empathy is an essential communication skill in the doctor-patient relationship. In fact, measuring its level in medical students is becoming increasingly important. There is a Lack of tools to measure it in Morocco. The aim of this study was to validate the Arabic version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE) among Moroccan medical students. The questionnaire was translated from its original English version to Arabic in accordance with international guidelines for cross-cultural adaptation of self-report measures. After translation and transcultural adaptation, the final Arabic version was administered to a sample of Moroccan medical students. Descriptive statistics at the item level and at the scale level were calculated. The internal consistency, reproducibility, criterion, and construct validity were assessed. A multitrait scale analysis was used to examine construct validity. To measure criterion validity, the Arabic JSE scale was correlated to a visual analog scale (VAS), measuring the level of empathy. The mean of score was compared by gender, year of medical training, and specialty preference using the Student (t) and ANOVA tests. All statistical analyses were performed by SPSS, Version 26. A total of 201 students participated in the study. The average empathy score was 105.1±13.4. It was higher in female than male students (P=0.003). The Cronbach alpha was 0.76. The instrument has moderate test-retest reliability (ICC=0.6). The results showed a positive and significant correlation between Arabic JSE and VAS ((r=0.28, p<0.0001). The multitrait scaling analysis by testing convergent and discriminant validity confirmed the original scale structure. The adapted Moroccan version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy proved to be a valid instrument. It demonstrated an acceptable reliability and validity. Indeed, it can be used in national studies to measure empathy in medical students.

Empathy and spirituality in Medical students and residents

RESUMO Introdução: A empatia tende a diminuir ao longo da formação médica. A relação entre espiritualidade e empatia não tem sido amplamente explorada. Objetivo: Este estudo teve como objetivo correlacionar empatia e religiosidade/espiritualismo por meio de questionário voluntário, entre estudantes e residentes de Medicina. Método: Trata-se de um estudo transversal exploratório por meio de um questionário online para preenchimento voluntário entre estudantes de medicina e residentes, composto por: dados sociodemográficos, questionário de empatia e questões sobre religiosidade/espiritualismo. Resultado: De 1.550 convites, 273 participantes voluntários responderam (17,6%). A maioria era católica (103 - 37,7%), seguida de agnósticos (84 - 30,8%), protestantes e kardecistas (27 - 9,9% cada). A Escala de Empatia de Jefferson apresentou pontuação média de 120,4 (de 90 a 140). Não se constatou correlação entre a crença religiosa e o grau de empatia. Ambos os conceitos não indicaram diferença significativa ao longo do período da educação médica. Conclusão: Empatia e religiosidade/espiritualismo não apresentaram correlação entre estudantes e residentes de Medicina.