Empathy Enhancement Based on a Semiotics Training Program: A Longitudinal Study in Peruvian Medical Students
BackgroundEmpathy, as a core element of medical professionalism, is part of leadership in medicine. This attribute, predominantly cognitive, involves understanding and communication capacity. Empathy can be enhanced with courses on medical semiotics. It appears adequate to apply this enhancement in...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.567663/full |
| _version_ | 1818550945890435072 |
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| author | Lissett J. Fernández-Rodríguez Víctor H. Bardales-Zuta Montserrat San-Martín Roberto C. Delgado Bolton Roberto C. Delgado Bolton Roberto C. Delgado Bolton Luis Vivanco Luis Vivanco |
| author_facet | Lissett J. Fernández-Rodríguez Víctor H. Bardales-Zuta Montserrat San-Martín Roberto C. Delgado Bolton Roberto C. Delgado Bolton Roberto C. Delgado Bolton Luis Vivanco Luis Vivanco |
| author_sort | Lissett J. Fernández-Rodríguez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundEmpathy, as a core element of medical professionalism, is part of leadership in medicine. This attribute, predominantly cognitive, involves understanding and communication capacity. Empathy can be enhanced with courses on medical semiotics. It appears adequate to apply this enhancement in the early stages of professional training. Based on this, this study was performed with the purpose of demonstrating the positive effect that an academic course on medical semiotics has on the development of empathy in medical students.MethodsA quasi-experimental study was conducted in one School of Medicine in Peru, where medical students had to attend a 17-week course on medical semiotics as part of their regular training. The sample, composed by 269 students, included two cohorts of third-year medical students. As main measures, the Jefferson Scales of Empathy (JSE), inter-professional collaboration (JSAPNC), and lifelong learning (JeffSPLL), were used. In addition, students’ scores evaluating theoretical and practical aspects of the course were collected once the course was finished. Pre- and post-tests were administered in week 1 and in week 17. Analyses compared measures in both moments and in time. Inter-professional collaboration and lifelong learning scores and empathy scores were used as discriminant and convergent validity measures of students’ course scores, respectively.ResultsGender differences on empathy appeared, but only at the beginning. In the entire sample, empathy enhancement was confirmed in time (p < 0.001), with a large effect size (r = 0.45). This effect was also observed in both gender groups, separately. On the contrary, no changes appeared in inter-professional collaboration and in lifelong learning abilities in time. In addition, a positive correlation was observed among empathy, inter-professional collaboration and lifelong learning abilities at the beginning and at the end, confirming that the improvement observed was specific for empathy and explained by the educational intervention assessed.ConclusionThese findings bring empiric evidence supporting the positive effect that training in medical semiotics has on empathy. In addition, these findings highlight some gender differences in the development of empathy in medical students. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T08:53:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3a207825be514345a67036b81991f908 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T08:53:18Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-3a207825be514345a67036b81991f9082022-12-22T00:30:07ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782020-10-011110.3389/fpsyg.2020.567663567663Empathy Enhancement Based on a Semiotics Training Program: A Longitudinal Study in Peruvian Medical StudentsLissett J. Fernández-Rodríguez0Víctor H. Bardales-Zuta1Montserrat San-Martín2Roberto C. Delgado Bolton3Roberto C. Delgado Bolton4Roberto C. Delgado Bolton5Luis Vivanco6Luis Vivanco7Faculty of Medicine, Antenor Orrego Private University, Trujillo, PeruFaculty of Medicine, Antenor Orrego Private University, Trujillo, PeruFaculty of Social Sciences of Melilla, University of Granada, Melilla, SpainDepartment of Diagnostic Imaging (Radiology) and Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital San Pedro, Logroño, SpainPlatform of Bioethics and Medical Education, Centre for Biomedical Research of La Rioja (CIBIR), Logroño, SpainNational Centre of Documentation on Bioethics, Rioja Health Foundation, Logro o, SpainPlatform of Bioethics and Medical Education, Centre for Biomedical Research of La Rioja (CIBIR), Logroño, SpainNational Centre of Documentation on Bioethics, Rioja Health Foundation, Logro o, SpainBackgroundEmpathy, as a core element of medical professionalism, is part of leadership in medicine. This attribute, predominantly cognitive, involves understanding and communication capacity. Empathy can be enhanced with courses on medical semiotics. It appears adequate to apply this enhancement in the early stages of professional training. Based on this, this study was performed with the purpose of demonstrating the positive effect that an academic course on medical semiotics has on the development of empathy in medical students.MethodsA quasi-experimental study was conducted in one School of Medicine in Peru, where medical students had to attend a 17-week course on medical semiotics as part of their regular training. The sample, composed by 269 students, included two cohorts of third-year medical students. As main measures, the Jefferson Scales of Empathy (JSE), inter-professional collaboration (JSAPNC), and lifelong learning (JeffSPLL), were used. In addition, students’ scores evaluating theoretical and practical aspects of the course were collected once the course was finished. Pre- and post-tests were administered in week 1 and in week 17. Analyses compared measures in both moments and in time. Inter-professional collaboration and lifelong learning scores and empathy scores were used as discriminant and convergent validity measures of students’ course scores, respectively.ResultsGender differences on empathy appeared, but only at the beginning. In the entire sample, empathy enhancement was confirmed in time (p < 0.001), with a large effect size (r = 0.45). This effect was also observed in both gender groups, separately. On the contrary, no changes appeared in inter-professional collaboration and in lifelong learning abilities in time. In addition, a positive correlation was observed among empathy, inter-professional collaboration and lifelong learning abilities at the beginning and at the end, confirming that the improvement observed was specific for empathy and explained by the educational intervention assessed.ConclusionThese findings bring empiric evidence supporting the positive effect that training in medical semiotics has on empathy. In addition, these findings highlight some gender differences in the development of empathy in medical students.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.567663/fullmedicine studentsprofessionalismmedical curriculummedical semioticslifelong learningteamwork ability |
| spellingShingle | Lissett J. Fernández-Rodríguez Víctor H. Bardales-Zuta Montserrat San-Martín Roberto C. Delgado Bolton Roberto C. Delgado Bolton Roberto C. Delgado Bolton Luis Vivanco Luis Vivanco Empathy Enhancement Based on a Semiotics Training Program: A Longitudinal Study in Peruvian Medical Students Frontiers in Psychology medicine students professionalism medical curriculum medical semiotics lifelong learning teamwork ability |
| title | Empathy Enhancement Based on a Semiotics Training Program: A Longitudinal Study in Peruvian Medical Students |
| title_full | Empathy Enhancement Based on a Semiotics Training Program: A Longitudinal Study in Peruvian Medical Students |
| title_fullStr | Empathy Enhancement Based on a Semiotics Training Program: A Longitudinal Study in Peruvian Medical Students |
| title_full_unstemmed | Empathy Enhancement Based on a Semiotics Training Program: A Longitudinal Study in Peruvian Medical Students |
| title_short | Empathy Enhancement Based on a Semiotics Training Program: A Longitudinal Study in Peruvian Medical Students |
| title_sort | empathy enhancement based on a semiotics training program a longitudinal study in peruvian medical students |
| topic | medicine students professionalism medical curriculum medical semiotics lifelong learning teamwork ability |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.567663/full |
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