Comparison of Empathy with Patients between Surgical and Psychiatric Medical Residents

Background: Empathy is considered paramount to the medical profession because it affects patients' satisfaction, compliance, and quality of care. It has been studied that medical residents in non-psychiatry specialties (especially general surgery) pay less attention to their patients' experiences and emotions. This study measured and compared surgical and psychiatric medical residents' empathy scores.

Materials and methods: In 2021, we studied all first- to third-year medical residents of psychiatry and general surgery who worked in hospitals affiliated with the Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran. Eighty-eight eligible residents, including 53 psychiatric and 35 surgical residents, were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. The Persian-validated Jefferson empathy scale was used to evaluate empathy among the residents. Chi-square, t-test, and ANOVA were used for group comparisons. A multivariable linear regression analysis was used to find the factors associated with the empathy score. Data analysis was conducted using the SPSS version 21.

Results: The total mean score (SD) of empathy was 104.34 (11.10). Female residents had higher mean (SD) empathy scores compared to their male counterparts (109.21 [9.29] vs. 99.14 [12.72]; p < 0.001), and psychiatric residents scored higher than surgical residents (109.18 [8.91] vs. 96.67 [12.50]; p < 0.001). Psychiatric residency was independently associated with a higher empathy score (standardized coefficients; beta = 0.41, p = 0.001).

Conclusions: Psychiatric residents have significantly higher empathy with patients than surgical residents. There was also a significant difference among male and female residents. Therefore, it may be recommended that structural education directions be developed for residents to promote empathy during the residency program.