Empathy in family medicine postgraduate education: A mixed studies systematic review.
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| Title: | Empathy in family medicine postgraduate education: A mixed studies systematic review. |
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| Authors: | Ortiz-Paredes, David1, Adam Henet, Peterson2,3, Desseilles, Martin4, Rodríguez, Charo1,5 charo.rodriguez@mcgill.ca |
| Source: | Medical Teacher. Feb2025, Vol. 47 Issue 2, p275-291. 17p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Empathy, *Emotion regulation, *Medical education, *Curriculum planning, *Masters programs (Higher education), Medical information storage & retrieval systems, Family medicine, Research funding, Descriptive statistics, Systematic reviews, MEDLINE, Physician-patient relations, Online information services, Psychology information storage & retrieval systems |
| Abstract: | Purpose: Empathy is an important construct in patient-physician relationships, particularly critical in family physicians' daily practice. We aimed to understand how empathy has been conceived and integrated into family medicine postgraduate training. Materials and Methods: Medline, PsyINFO, and Embase were searched in this systematic mixed studies systematic review. Two independent reviewers screened abstracts and full texts. Disagreements were solved through research team consensus-based discussion. Included studies were synthesized thematically. Results: A total of 18 studies were included. Four themes were identified. (1) Empathy definition. Included studies stressed the cognitive component of empathy, paired either with a behavioural or an affective response. (2) Empathy modifiers. Starting residency right after medical school, having a role model, having high empathy levels before residency, having children, being married, and being exposed to patient involvement in education were found to have a positive impact on empathy. (3) Empathy-burnout relationship. Whereas greater burnout was related to lower empathy levels, excess empathy seems to favour burnout through 'compassion fatigue.' (4) Educational programs for empathy development. Five programs were identified: a communication workshop, a patient-led program, a mindfulness program, a family-oriented intervention, and an arts-based program. Conclusions: Studies mostly measured the cognitive component of empathy. The moral component of empathy was underrepresented in the conceptualization of empathy and the development of educational interventions. Conflicting evidence exists regarding the decline of empathy levels during the family medicine residency. Longitudinal designs should be privileged when exploring the evolution of empathy levels across the continuum of medical education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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| Abstract: | Purpose: Empathy is an important construct in patient-physician relationships, particularly critical in family physicians' daily practice. We aimed to understand how empathy has been conceived and integrated into family medicine postgraduate training. Materials and Methods: Medline, PsyINFO, and Embase were searched in this systematic mixed studies systematic review. Two independent reviewers screened abstracts and full texts. Disagreements were solved through research team consensus-based discussion. Included studies were synthesized thematically. Results: A total of 18 studies were included. Four themes were identified. (1) Empathy definition. Included studies stressed the cognitive component of empathy, paired either with a behavioural or an affective response. (2) Empathy modifiers. Starting residency right after medical school, having a role model, having high empathy levels before residency, having children, being married, and being exposed to patient involvement in education were found to have a positive impact on empathy. (3) Empathy-burnout relationship. Whereas greater burnout was related to lower empathy levels, excess empathy seems to favour burnout through 'compassion fatigue.' (4) Educational programs for empathy development. Five programs were identified: a communication workshop, a patient-led program, a mindfulness program, a family-oriented intervention, and an arts-based program. Conclusions: Studies mostly measured the cognitive component of empathy. The moral component of empathy was underrepresented in the conceptualization of empathy and the development of educational interventions. Conflicting evidence exists regarding the decline of empathy levels during the family medicine residency. Longitudinal designs should be privileged when exploring the evolution of empathy levels across the continuum of medical education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 0142159X |
| DOI: | 10.1080/0142159X.2024.2328324 |
