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Purpose: Empathy is an important trait of a physician and a key element in the physician-patient relationship. This study evaluated the ability to express empathy in medical students. Methods: Medical student empathy was measured by the modified Pencil-and-Paper Empathy Rating Test of Winefield and Chur-Hansen. The subjects comprised 110 medical students. The data were analyzed by descriptive analysis and t-test using SPSS version 21.0 (IBM Corp.). Results: Empathy rating test scores were low-level in medical students (mean, 12.59). There were no differences in the level of ability to express empathy between genders (t=-1.714, p=0.089). Conclusion: Our results suggest that practical training in expressing empathy should be included in medical education and that an empathy training program must be focused on changes in behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between ego-states and communication skills in medical students. Methods: A total of 109 medical school students participated in this study, which used the communication skills self-test papers and the Egogram checklist. The data were analyzed by frequency analysis, and Pearson correlation analysis. Results: Ego-state was related to communication skills. In particular, adapted child ego-state was negatively associated with each sphere of communication skills. Conclusion: Our results suggested that ego-state types should be considered in developing a communication skills education program for medical students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Medical schools and graduate medical schools should understand the personality and psychological qualities of graduate medical students, medical students, and premedical students and link them with the curriculum. Methods: In this study, through June 2010 we analyzed medical papers that were published in Korea. The search terms were psychological terminology, including emotion, cognition, intelligence, social ability, stress, motivation, judgment, and learning style. Results: In the cognitive and learning aspects, preliminary doctors were under the influence of prior knowledge; cumulative learning; self-efficacy; and visual, logical, non-self-led learning types and had external learning motivation. In the emotional adaptive aspects, they appeared to be the ISTJ (introversion, sensing, thinking, judging) personality type with regard to the Myers-Briggs indicators and perfectionists, suffering from severe academic stress. Their motivation on matriculation was associated with their interests and aptitudes, and through community service, they adapted to the learning and living environment of medicine. In the social and moral aspects, they did not have high moral judgment, felt devaluated about their job than before, and tended to have an open and flexible doctor-patient relationship. Conclusion: Medical graduate students, medical students, and premedical students have greater likelihood to cultivate their character and capacity for adaptation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]