Changes in empathy throughout medical school and residency
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- Changes in empathy throughout medical school and residency
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Changes in empathy throughout medical school and residency
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[post_date] => 2024-12-26 08:36:52
[post_date_gmt] => 2024-12-26 13:36:52
[post_content] => Practice Passage (Question 1-5)
*This passage is the property of Khan Academy and has been reformatted into an AAMC-style interface in their entirety by MedLife Mastery. MedLife Mastery does not endorse and is not an affiliate of Khan Academy.
Empathy is a personality trait that is characterized by the ability to intellectually understand what another person is experiencing and show consideration for that person’s feelings and behavior. Empathy is especially relevant in healthcare, and can be beneficial for both patients and physicians. Some research suggests that higher levels of physician empathy are helpful in increasing patient health and satisfaction, and can also result in increased well-being for doctors themselves. Because empathy is so important in clinical settings, medical schools have turned their attention to their students’ empathy, so that they might learn to be more effective clinicians early on in their careers. However, before implementing curricular changes, schools decided to first learn more about empathy and whether or not it changes throughout the medical education process.
The present study examined empathy in a cohort of medical students as they progressed through medical school and residency. 400 medical students from several schools across the country were recruited to complete a series of questionnaires that were distributed once a year for 9 years. At baseline, participants ranged in age from 22 to 28 (mean = 24.4). with equal numbers of men and women in the sample. At each time point, participants were given the Empathy Questionnaire, which included 20 questions rated on a 7-point likert scale (total score range of 20-140). gave statements about their experience with empathy throughout their education. Table 1 outlines mean empathy scores over time, while Figure 1) outlines a statement from a resident after completing her residency program.
Table 1
Figure 1
“I’ve always been a very empathetic person, and I went to medical school because I wanted to help people. The first two years were tough and I couldn’t wait to see patients. But when I started working with patients in the hospital, I just got more stressed and frustrated each day. I’m not even sure when it changed, but I noticed by the time that I graduated, I had stopped caring about patients. At the time I thought to myself, what kind of person have I become? I realized that my stress levels and frustration with the hospital had made me less empathetic, but I knew that empathy was something I really appreciated about myself and valued. I thought, what kind of doctor do I ultimately want to be? So I made changes each day - I really worked hard to be there for my patients and practice empathy, to be conscious and rational about my decision making, so that I could achieve my full potential as a resident and as a physician.”
[post_title] => Changes in empathy throughout medical school and residency
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[question] => What term best describes the design of the study?
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[description] => Reason for the Correct Answer:
Within-subjects refers to an experimental study where all subjects are exposed to every experimental condition or treatment. This study had no experimental condition.
A case study examines one individual in depth over time to thoroughly understand all aspects of that person’s functioning. This study used case study elements (like qualitative methods) but was not a case study design.
A cross-sectional study is observational and involves comparisons of different population groups within a single point in time.
Longitudinal studies observe groups of individuals over an extended period of time, taking multiple measurements of behaviors. The study took place over nine years, with nine different assessment points; thus this is a longitudinal design.
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[each_answer] => A. Cross-sectional
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[each_answer] => B. Longitudinal
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[each_answer] => C. Case study
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[each_answer] => D. Within-subjects
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[quiz_unique_key] => 3873426850
[question] => Empathy is positively correlated with physician well-being. If well-being had been assessed along with empathy in this study, scores of well-being would most likely be lowest at the end of which year of medical education?
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[answer] => 3
[description] => Reason for the Correct Answer:
A positive correlation indicates that both variables move in the same direction.
If empathy increases, so does well being. If empathy decreases, well-being decreases as well.
Empathy is lowest at the end of year three, which means that scores of well-being would also most likely be the lowest at this point.
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[each_answer] => A. Residency year 4
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[each_answer] => B. Medical school year 2
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[each_answer] => C. Medical school year 3
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[each_answer] => D. Residency year 1
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[quiz_unique_key] => 83407773
[question] => Which theory of personality is supported by the resident’s statement about her experience with empathy by the end of her residency program?
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[answer] => 2
[description] => Reason for the Correct Answer:
Psychoanalytic personality theory is focused on the subconscious mind and unconscious desires.
Behavioral personality theory is focused on the environment and how it shapes personality and behavioral responses.
Biological personality theory is focused on genetic, structural, or functional determinants of personality.
Humanistic personality theory is focused on the pursuit of highest potential and the ability to determine one’s own future.
The resident expressed that she chose to work to become her best and realized that being more empathetic would help her to be her best. Her statement is closely related to humanistic personality theory.
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[each_answer] => A. Biological
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[each_answer] => B. Humanistic
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[each_answer] => C. Psychoanalytic
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[each_answer] => D. Behavioral
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[quiz_unique_key] => 2261298308
[question] => Medical students often become frustrated when they begin clinical work, because they are in a situation where they feel less confident. Their self-esteem decreases and they sometimes feel incapable of earning the respect of their superiors. According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory, what needs are not currently being satisfied for these students?
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[answer] => 4
[description] => Reason for the Correct Answer:
Safety needs refer to a person’s need for physical safety (as in from war or disease) and a fair and just society.
Belonging needs refer to a person’s need for family, affection, and relationships.
Self-actualization needs refer to a person’s need for complete fulfilment and personal growth.
Esteem needs refer to a person’s need to be respected and have self-confidence. In this scenario, medical students in their third year are not having esteem needs met.
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[each_answer] => A. Self-actualization needs
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[each_answer] => B. Belonging needs
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[each_answer] => C. Safety needs
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[each_answer] => D. Esteem needs
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[quiz_unique_key] => 574431310
[question] => Empathy has a significant correlation with physician well-being. What can be concluded about the cause and effect relationship between empathy and well-being?
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[answer] => 2
[description] => Reason for the Correct Answer:
A positive correlation between two variables suggests that as one variable increases the other variable increases.
A negative correlation between two variables suggests that as one variable increases the other variable decreases.
Any correlation between two variables does not imply causation – it simply provides descriptive information about the relationship between the variables. No conclusions may be made about cause and effect from a correlation.
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[0] => Array
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[each_answer] => A. There is a cause and effect relationship only if the correlation is negative.
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[each_answer] => B. No conclusions may be made about the cause and effect relationship.
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[each_answer] => C. There is a cause and effect relationship because the correlation is significant.
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[each_answer] => D. There is a cause and effect relationship only if the correlation is positive.
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