Level of emotional intelligence and empathy in medical residents

Abstract

Introduction: Emotional intelligence is a set of soft skills and competencies that, it has been shown, influence people’s ability to succeed in coping with environmental demands and pressures. On the other hand, empathy plays an important role because it is a cognitive attribute that encompasses an understanding of an individual’s experiences and perspectives. Both have benefits in the doctor-patient relationship, as it leads to better diagnosis and greater adherence to treatments.

Objective: to evaluate the level of emotional intelligence and empathy possessed by resident physicians of the IMSS Puebla delegation.

Method: quantitative, analytical, longitudinal, homodemographic, prospective and multicenter study. A total of 254 resident physicians from 12 specialties participated, using the TMSS 24 scale for emotional intelligence and the Jefferson scale for empathy as measurement instruments.

Results: There was more participation of the female sex, with an overall average age of 29 years; the greatest participation was in the specialty of family medicine. In the items attention, clarity and repair of emotional intelligence, the result was adequate with 48%, 53.9% and 61.8% respectively. In the Jefferson empathy scale, the outstanding item predominated with 46.8%. Nineteen resident physicians were identified with low levels in each of the dimensions of emotional intelligence together with intermediate and low empathy.

Discussion: the levels of emotional intelligence and empathy were adequate, although resident physicians with low levels in both items represent a red focus and an area of opportunity for emotional education.

Conclusions: Emotional intelligence and empathy are skills that resident physicians should possess because they have benefits for them and for their patients, so it is important to encourage the teaching of these skills from the formative years.