Effectiveness of an empathic communication program in medical students to improve the doctor-patient relationship
Keywords:
empathic communication; soft skills; medical education; medical humanism; doctor-patient relationshipAbstract
Introduction: Empathic communication is an essential skill in medical practice, linked to the quality of care and patient satisfaction. However, in traditional medical training, the teaching of communication skills often takes a backseat to a technical approach.
Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of an empathic communication educational program for medical students in strengthening the quality of the physician-patient relationship.
Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted with a sample of 80 fourth-year medical students. An eight-week training program focused on communicative empathy was implemented, utilizing clinical simulations, reflective tutoring, and formative feedback. Empathy levels and perceived communicative quality were measured using the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy (JSPE) and a Likert-type simulated patient satisfaction scale. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests and Pearson's test.
Results: Empathy levels increased significantly after the intervention (pretest mean 98.4; posttest mean 115.2; t = 8.23; p < 0.001). A strong positive correlation was observed between the increase in empathy and the perceived improvement in doctor-patient communication (r = 0.76; p < 0.001).
Conclusions: The empathic communication program was effective in strengthening relational skills in medical students. By improving medical empathy, the quality of communication and the students' perception of their communication skills improved.
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