Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Role of Empathy in Medical Students’ Choice of Specialty

  • Brief Report
  • Published:
Academic Psychiatry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The role of empathy in medical students’ postgraduate training interest was studied. The level of empathy, as measured by the Hogan Empathy Scale, was not found to be a discriminating factor in career selection. Students interested in psychiatry had empathy levels similar to other groups of students. Although empathy has been suggested as a possible discriminating variable among medical school candidates, individuals with high and low empathy scores were found to be interested in every field of practice. Further studies are needed before measurement of empathy is used in the selection process for medical school admission.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Paiva REA, Vu NV, Verhulst SJ: The effect of clinical experiences in medical school on specialty choice decisions. J Med Educ 1982; 57:666–674

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Matteson MT. Smith SV: Selection of medical specialties: preferences versus choices. J Med Educ 1977; 52:548–554

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Hogan R: Development of an empathy scale. J Consult Chin Psychol 1969; 33:306–316

    Google Scholar 

  4. Hornblow AR, Kidson MA, Jones KV: Measuring medical students’ empathy: a validation study. J Med Educ 1977; 11:7–12

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Kupfer DJ, Drew FL, Curtis EK, et al: Personality style and empathy in medical students. J Med Educ 1978; 53:507–509

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Diseker HA; Michielutte R: An analysis of empathy in medical students before and following clinical experience. J Med Educ 1981; 56:1004–1010

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Forest-Streit U: Differences in empathy: a preliminary analysis. J Med Educ 1982; 57:65–67

    Google Scholar 

  8. Editorial: Will future medical school criteria include empathy as well as top grades? Medical World News, 13 September 1984, p. 10

  9. Elizur A, Rosenheim E: Empathy and attitudes among medical students: the effects of group experience. J Med Educ 1982; 57:675–683

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Dubovsky SL: Coping with entitlement in medical education. N EngI J Med 1986; 315:1672–1674

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. department of psychiatry at the Medical College of Wisconsin, USA

    Harold H. Harsch M.D. (associate professor and medical director)

Authors
  1. Harold H. Harsch M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Harsch, H.H. The Role of Empathy in Medical Students’ Choice of Specialty. Acad Psychiatry 13, 96–98 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03341267

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03341267

Keywords

Search

Navigation