Comparing a self-administered measure of empathy with observed behavior among medical students.
OBJECTIVE
Studies show that measures of physician and medical students' empathy decline with clinical training. Presently, there are limited data relating self-reported measures to observed behavior. This study explores a self-reported measure and observed empathy in medical students.


METHODS
Students in the Class of 2009, at a university-based medical school, were surveyed at the end of their 2nd and 3rd year. Students completed the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy-Student Version (JSPE-S), a self-administered scale, and were evaluated for demonstrated empathic behavior during Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs).


RESULTS
97.6% and 98.1% of eligible students participated in their 2nd and 3rd year, respectively. The overall correlation between the JSPE-S and OSCE empathy scores was 0.22, p < 0.0001. Students had higher self-reported JSPE-S scores in their 2nd year compared to their 3rd year (118.63 vs. 116.08, p < 0.0001), but had lower observed empathy scores (3.96 vs. 4.15, p < 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Empathy measured by a self-administered scale decreased, whereas observed empathy increased among medical students with more medical training.
Chen
Daniel C R
DC
Section of General Internal Medicine, Evans Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, 801 Massachusetts Avenue, 2nd Floor, Boston, MA 02118, USA. daniel.chen@bmc.org
Pahilan
M Elaine
ME
Orlander
Jay D
JD
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*