Training Medical Students in Empathic Communication

Abstract

Empathy is an important component of the doctor–patient relationship, yet previous studies point to its steady decline in medical students as they progress through medical school and residency programs. Empathy training has thus been identified as a goal of instruction, yet it is unclear how this training can best be implemented within the medical curriculum. This article describes the content of an exploratory empathy training program for 2 groups of 3rd-year medical students, and discusses changes made between the groups to enhance training outcomes. Preliminary results, important considerations for group process, group member characteristics, and future interventions are presented.

Keywords:

• Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) scale
• counselor collaboration
• empathy
• medical students
• training groups

Acknowledgments

Special thanks go to Dr. Edward Neukrug, Dr. Agatha Parks-Savage, Dr. Adele Logan O'Keefe, Dr. Bruce Britton, Dr. Christopher E. Bayne, and Dr. Jenny Zhao for their support of this project. Thanks also goes to the Arnold P. Gold Foundation for the funding of this project.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hannah Barnhill Bayne

Hannah Barnhill Bayne, Ph.D., NCC, is a doctoral student in the Department of Counseling and Human Services at Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia.