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Research article
Toshiko Yoshida
Graduate School of Medicne, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6891-8748
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background: Enhancing empathy in healthcare education is a critical component in the development of a relationship between healthcare professionals and patients that would ensure better patient care; improved patient satisfaction, adherence to treatment, patients’ medication self-efficacy, improved treatment outcomes, and reduced patient anxiety. Unfortunately, however, the decline of empathy among students has been frequently reported. It is especially common when the curriculum transitions to a clinical setting. However, some studies have questioned the significance and frequency of this decline. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the impact of postgraduate clinical training on dental trainees’ empathy from cognitive, behavioral, and patients’ perspective.
Methods: This study included 64 trainee dentists at Okayama University Hospital and 13 simulated patients (SPs). The trainee dentists carried out initial medical interviews with SPs twice, at the beginning and the end of their clinical training. The trainees completed the Japanese version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy for health professionals just before each medical interview. The SPs evaluated the trainees’ communication using an assessment questionnaire immediately after the medical interviews. The videotaped dialogue from the medical interviews was analyzed using the Roter Interaction Analysis System.
Results: No significant difference was found in the self-reported empathy score of trainees at the beginning and the end of the clinical training (107.73 [range, 85-134] vs. 108.34 [range, 69-138]; p=0.643). Considering the results according to gender, male scored 104.06 (range, 88-118) vs. 101.06 (range, 71-122; p=0.283) and female 109.17 (range, 85-134) vs. 111.20 (range, 69-138; p=0.170). Similarly, there was no difference in the SPs’ evaluation of trainees’ communication (10.73 vs. 10.38, p=0.434). Communication behavior in the emotional responsiveness category for trainees in the beginning was significantly higher than that at the end (2.47 vs. 1.14, p=0.000).
Conclusions: Overall, a one-year postgraduate dental training program neither reduced nor increased trainee dentists’ empathy levels. Providing regular education support in this area may help trainees foster their empathy.
Keywords
empathy, trainee dentists, clinical training, Jefferson Scale of Empathy, Roter Interaction Analysis System, simulated patients
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CURRENT STATUS: Published
View the published article at BMC Medical Education.
Version 4
Posted 30 Dec, 2020
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Accept
On 25 Dec, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 22 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 17 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 15 Dec, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 15 Dec, 2020
Editor assigned
On 14 Dec, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 14 Dec, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 14 Dec, 2020
Editor invited
On 14 Dec, 2020
No comments provided
Review #1 received
Received 30 Nov, 2020
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 30 Nov, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 15 Nov, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 15 Nov, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 10 Nov, 2020
Editor assigned
On 09 Nov, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 09 Nov, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 09 Nov, 2020
Editor invited
On 09 Nov, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 10 Oct, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 08 Oct, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 06 Oct, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 30 Sep, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 08 Sep, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 08 Sep, 2020
Editor assigned
On 03 Sep, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 02 Sep, 2020
Editor invited
On 02 Sep, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Revise before sending to peer reviewers
On 17 Aug, 2020
Editor assigned
On 28 Jul, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 27 Jul, 2020
Editor invited
On 27 Jul, 2020
First submitted
On 26 Jul, 2020
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A new preprint design is coming!
We have improved readability, clarity, accessibility, and opportunities for engagement.
See the published version of this preprint at BMC Medical Education.
This is a preprint, a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research article
Toshiko Yoshida
Graduate School of Medicne, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6891-8748
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Published
View the published article at BMC Medical Education.
Version 4
Posted 30 Dec, 2020
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Accept
On 25 Dec, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 22 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 17 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 15 Dec, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 15 Dec, 2020
Editor assigned
On 14 Dec, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 14 Dec, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 14 Dec, 2020
Editor invited
On 14 Dec, 2020
No comments provided
Review #1 received
Received 30 Nov, 2020
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 30 Nov, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 15 Nov, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 15 Nov, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 10 Nov, 2020
Editor assigned
On 09 Nov, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 09 Nov, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 09 Nov, 2020
Editor invited
On 09 Nov, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 10 Oct, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 08 Oct, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 06 Oct, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 30 Sep, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 08 Sep, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 08 Sep, 2020
Editor assigned
On 03 Sep, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 02 Sep, 2020
Editor invited
On 02 Sep, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Revise before sending to peer reviewers
On 17 Aug, 2020
Editor assigned
On 28 Jul, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 27 Jul, 2020
Editor invited
On 27 Jul, 2020
First submitted
On 26 Jul, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published article at BMC Medical Education.
Background: Enhancing empathy in healthcare education is a critical component in the development of a relationship between healthcare professionals and patients that would ensure better patient care; improved patient satisfaction, adherence to treatment, patients’ medication self-efficacy, improved treatment outcomes, and reduced patient anxiety. Unfortunately, however, the decline of empathy among students has been frequently reported. It is especially common when the curriculum transitions to a clinical setting. However, some studies have questioned the significance and frequency of this decline. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the impact of postgraduate clinical training on dental trainees’ empathy from cognitive, behavioral, and patients’ perspective.
Methods: This study included 64 trainee dentists at Okayama University Hospital and 13 simulated patients (SPs). The trainee dentists carried out initial medical interviews with SPs twice, at the beginning and the end of their clinical training. The trainees completed the Japanese version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy for health professionals just before each medical interview. The SPs evaluated the trainees’ communication using an assessment questionnaire immediately after the medical interviews. The videotaped dialogue from the medical interviews was analyzed using the Roter Interaction Analysis System.
Results: No significant difference was found in the self-reported empathy score of trainees at the beginning and the end of the clinical training (107.73 [range, 85-134] vs. 108.34 [range, 69-138]; p=0.643). Considering the results according to gender, male scored 104.06 (range, 88-118) vs. 101.06 (range, 71-122; p=0.283) and female 109.17 (range, 85-134) vs. 111.20 (range, 69-138; p=0.170). Similarly, there was no difference in the SPs’ evaluation of trainees’ communication (10.73 vs. 10.38, p=0.434). Communication behavior in the emotional responsiveness category for trainees in the beginning was significantly higher than that at the end (2.47 vs. 1.14, p=0.000).
Conclusions: Overall, a one-year postgraduate dental training program neither reduced nor increased trainee dentists’ empathy levels. Providing regular education support in this area may help trainees foster their empathy.
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