title: Empathy levels in first- and third-year students in health and non-health disciplines.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare empathy scores between health professions students (pharmacy and nursing) and non-health professions (law) students and between first- and third-year students.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy-Student Version was completed by 282 students.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nursing and pharmacy students had significantly more empathy than did law students. Third-year pharmacy students scored higher on empathy than did first-year pharmacy students, whereas the converse was true for nurses. There was no significant difference in empathy between first- and third-year law students. Across the study years, empathy increased among pharmacy students, decreased among nurses, and remained the same among law students. Women scored higher on empathy than did males.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Empathy scores among university students vary depending on discipline and year of study.
authors.affiliation: University of Central Lancashire, Preston, Lancashire, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Prescott
authors.forename: Gordon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Becket
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D013339:Students, Pharmacy / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult