title: [Medical students' empathy and its effect on the physicianpatient relationship].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recent studies have emphasized the importance of empathy in the physician-patient relationship (PPR). The purpose of this study was to examine the association between empathy scores, as measured by the student version of the Jefferson Scaleof Empathy, Korean edition (JSE-S-K), and PPR scores on the clinical performance examination (CPX).
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample comprised 104 third-year medical students. Prior to undertaking 12 cases on the CPX, the students completed the JSE-S-K and Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. We analyzed the differences in empathy and PPR scores according to their sociodemographic characteristics and personality types and verified the link between empathy and PPR scores by stepwise multiple linear regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PPR scores were positively associated with total JSE-S-K scores (r=0.232, p<0.05) and its affective domain scores (r=0.229, p<0.05). Education program (undergraduate or graduate entry) and empathy score were the best predictors of PPR score (R(2)=0.153).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The positive association between empathy and PPR scores suggests that empathy is an important factor that influences the PPR.
authors.forename: Min Young
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.forename: Sang Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Hoon-Ki
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D010551:Personality; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011594:Psychometrics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Empathy; Jefferson Scale of Empathy; Physician-patient relations