Twelve tips for the introduction of emotional intelligence in medical education

Abstract

Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage emotions in yourself and in others. EI has long been recognized as a critical component for individual and organizational success within the business realm, and there is emerging evidence that enhancing EI is equally important in the medical setting. EI can improve interpersonal communications, enable constructive conflict resolution, and promote a culture of professionalism. As healthcare becomes increasingly team-based, proficiency in EI will be required to build consensus among multidisciplinary stakeholders, and effect change in attitudes and behaviors that result in improved patient safety and clinical outcomes. Based on the existing literature and the authors’ experiences, these 12 tips provide practical suggestions on how to introduce EI into a medical curriculum. These tips have broad applicability, and can be implemented in courses on topics such as professionalism, leadership development, empathy, patient safety, or wellness.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Christine G. Roth

Christine Roth, MD, MMM, is an associate professor, Department of Pathology & Immunology, and Director of Hematopathology, Baylor-St. Luke’s Hospital, and founding course faculty of the Pathology Quality Improvement/Patient Safety Course.

Karen W. Eldin

Karen Eldin, MD, is an associate professor, Department of Pathology & Immunology, and Director of Anatomic Pathology, Texas Children’s Hospital, and founding course faculty of the Pathology Quality Improvement/Patient Safety Course.

Vijayalakshmi Padmanabhan

Vijayalakshmi Padmanabhan, MD, MBBS, MPH, is an associate professor, Department of Pathology & Immunology, and Director of Cytopathology, Ben Taub General Hospital, and Director of the Pathology Quality Improvement/Patient Safety Course.

Ellen M. Friedman

Ellen M. Friedman, MD, is professor in the Bobby Alford Department of Otolaryngology, and Director, Center for Professionalism, Baylor College of Medicine.