Table 1 Summary of survey findings
From: A survey of clinical empathy training at UK medical schools
No. of responses | % | |
|---|---|---|
Does your curriculum include formal empathy-focused training? | ||
Yes | 26 | 93 |
No | 1 | 4 |
Unsure | 1 | 4 |
Is there a dedicated empathy-focused programme or module or are activities integrated into other modules? | ||
Dedicated empathy-focused programme or module | 2 | 7 |
Empathy-focused activities are integrated | 16 | 57 |
Both | 7 | 25 |
Unsure | 1 | 4 |
Have specific empathy-focused intended learning outcomes been developed associated with this? | ||
Yes | 17 | 61 |
No | 5 | 18 |
Unsure | 3 | 11 |
When does specific empathy-focused training take place? | ||
Foundation or Gateway Year (Year 0) | 4 | 14 |
Year 1 | 23 | 82 |
Year 2 | 19 | 68 |
Year 3 | 15 | 54 |
Year 4 | 13 | 43 |
Year 5 | 14 | 50 |
Other | 2 | 7 |
Are empathy-focused training activities part of the compulsory or optional curriculum? | ||
Compulsory curriculum | 21 | 75 |
Optional | 0 | 0 |
Both | 5 | 18 |
Unsure | 1 | 4 |
What teaching methods are employed to deliver empathy-focused teaching activities? | ||
Lectures | 10 | 36 |
Problem-based learning | 1 | 4 |
Seminars | 5 | 18 |
Small group work | 26 | 93 |
Online activities | 6 | 21 |
Clinical experience | 18 | 64 |
Other | 6 | 21 |
Who is responsible for the delivery of empathy-focused training? | ||
Clinical academics | 23 | 82 |
Academics | 11 | 39 |
NHS clinicians | 21 | 75 |
Clinical teaching fellows | 17 | 61 |
Patients | 11 | 39 |
Other (including simulated patients and students) | 3 | 11 |
Does your medical school provide any form of training or development for faculty and clinical educators around clinical empathy and teaching this to students? | ||
Yes | 12 | 43 |
No | 8 | 29 |
Unsure | 8 | 29 |
Is there anything that fits our definition of clinical empathy, which you feel your curriculum delivers, but is labelled as something else? | ||
Yes | 19 | 68 |
No | 6 | 21 |
Unsure | 3 | 11 |
If empathy-focused training is offered, is it evaluated? | ||
Yes | 18 | 64 |
No | 4 | 14 |
Unsure | 3 | 11 |
If empathy-focused training is offered, is student feedback sought? | ||
Yes | 18 | 64 |
No | 2 | 7 |
Unsure | 5 | 18 |
Is student empathy assessed at any point during the degree programme? | ||
Yes | 22 | 79 |
No | 1 | 4 |
Unsure | 4 | 14 |
If student empathy is assessed, how is it assessed? (select all that apply) | ||
Self-assessment | 3 | 11 |
Reflective practice | 15 | 54 |
Written exam | 1 | 4 |
OSCE | 24 | 86 |
Portfolio activities | 14 | 50 |
Other | 4 | 14 |
Are any empathy-specific tools used to measure student empathy? (select all that apply) | ||
None | 22 | 79 |
Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory-empathy understanding (BLRI) | 0 | 0 |
Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) measure | 0 | 0 |
Empathy Construct Rating Scale (ECRS) | 0 | 0 |
Empathy Quotient (EQ) | 0 | 0 |
Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE) | 1 | 4 |
Medical Condition Regard Scale (MCRS) | 0 | 0 |
Reynolds Empathy Scale (RES) | 0 | 0 |
Therapist Empathy Scale (TES) | 0 | 0 |
Toronto Empathy Questionnaire (TEQ) | 0 | 0 |
Other | 2 | 7 |
Is the assessment of empathy, or a student’s ability to empathise considered in the admissions to medical school process? | ||
Yes | 19 | 68 |
No | 1 | 4 |
Unsure/unable to comment | 8 | 29 |
Do you think clinical empathy should be taught at medical school? | ||
Yes | 27 | 96 |
No | 0 | 0 |
Do you think your medical school does enough to foster empathy in medical students? | ||
Yes | 7 | 25 |
No | 12 | 43 |
Unsure | 9 | 32 |
Would you like to see more empathy-focused training on your undergraduate curriculum | ||
Yes | 23 | 82 |
No | 4 | 14 |