Medical school selection criteria as predictors of medical student empathy: a cross-sectional study of medical students, Ireland

ObjectivesTo determine whether performance in any of the Health Professions Admissions Test (HPAT) sections, most specifically the interpersonal understanding section, correlates with self-reported empathy levels in medical students.SettingThe study was conducted in University College Cork, Ireland....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:BMJ open 2017-07, Vol.7 (7), p.e016076-e016076
Main Authors: O’Sullivan, Donnchadh M, Moran, Joseph, Corcoran, Paul, O’Flynn, Siun, O’Tuathaigh, Colm, O’Sullivan, Aoife M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Cognition & reasoning
Comprehension
Core curriculum
Cross-Sectional Studies
Education, Medical
Empathy
Female
Gender
Health education
Humans
Ireland
Male
Medical Education and Training
Medical ethics
Medical schools
Medical students
Physicians
Psychometrics
School Admission Criteria
Schools, Medical
Self Report
Sex Factors
Social Skills
Students
Students, Medical
Young Adult
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Summary:ObjectivesTo determine whether performance in any of the Health Professions Admissions Test (HPAT) sections, most specifically the interpersonal understanding section, correlates with self-reported empathy levels in medical students.SettingThe study was conducted in University College Cork, Ireland.Participants290 students participated in the study. Matching HPAT scores were available for 263 students. All male and female undergraduate students were invited to participate. Postgraduate and international students were excluded.Primary and secondary outcome measuresPrimary measures: HPAT-Ireland and Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy (JSE) scores were compared including subsection analysis. Secondary measures: comparisons were made between groups such as gender and year of programme.ResultsA total of 290 students participated. Males scored significantly higher than females for total HPAT-Ireland (U=7329, z=−2.04, p
ISSN:2044-6055
2044-6055
DOI:10.1136/bmjopen-2017-016076