Empathy and cultural competence remains stable for medical students: do the humanities have an effect?
Abstract There is a paucity of rigorous longitudinal data regarding the relationship between humanities and their effect on multiple psychometrics. Using an observational art course, we assessed pre- and post-course metrics and longitudinal impacts with 120 preclinical medical students taking the “A...
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BMC
2024-11-01
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| Series: | BMC Medical Education |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-06040-7 |
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| author | Sruthi Srinivasan Jean-Sebastien Rachoin Matthew Gentile Krystal Hunter Elizabeth Cerceo |
| author_facet | Sruthi Srinivasan Jean-Sebastien Rachoin Matthew Gentile Krystal Hunter Elizabeth Cerceo |
| author_sort | Sruthi Srinivasan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract There is a paucity of rigorous longitudinal data regarding the relationship between humanities and their effect on multiple psychometrics. Using an observational art course, we assessed pre- and post-course metrics and longitudinal impacts with 120 preclinical medical students taking the “Art of Observation” between 2016 and 2019. Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE) and Jeffreys Transcultural Self-Efficacy Tool (TSET) were assessed annually for four years. Budner Tolerance of Ambiguity (TOA) Scale was administered before and after the course. The JSE showed no drop in empathy as students progressed from first to fourth year (p = 0.374). The TSET showed statistically significant increases in cultural self-efficacy (p < 0.001) in the cognitive and practical components but no change in the affective component of the scale. After the art course, TOA significantly improved on two [solubility (p = 0.009) and complexity (p = 0.21)] of the three subscales, but not novelty (p = 0.62). Empathy and cultural self-efficacy remained consistently high throughout medical school and did not decrease during the clinical years in an institution prioritizing the humanities and community engagement. Comfort with cultural competency generally improved throughout training. After taking an art course that emphasizes cognitive flexibility and a multiple perspectival approach, students demonstrated greater tolerance for ambiguity. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cd34f9f5a97740a2854f8e296f736071 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1472-6920 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Education |
| spelling | doaj-art-cd34f9f5a97740a2854f8e296f7360712024-11-17T12:33:45ZengBMCBMC Medical Education1472-69202024-11-012411710.1186/s12909-024-06040-7Empathy and cultural competence remains stable for medical students: do the humanities have an effect?Sruthi Srinivasan0Jean-Sebastien Rachoin1Matthew Gentile2Krystal Hunter3Elizabeth Cerceo4Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Cooper University HospitalDepartment of Medicine, Cooper University Hospital, Cooper Medical School of Rowan UniversityOffice of Medical Education, Cooper Medical School of Rowan UniversityDepartment of Biostatics, Cooper University Healthcare, Cooper Medical School of Rowan UniversityCooper Medical School of Rowan University, Cooper University HospitalAbstract There is a paucity of rigorous longitudinal data regarding the relationship between humanities and their effect on multiple psychometrics. Using an observational art course, we assessed pre- and post-course metrics and longitudinal impacts with 120 preclinical medical students taking the “Art of Observation” between 2016 and 2019. Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE) and Jeffreys Transcultural Self-Efficacy Tool (TSET) were assessed annually for four years. Budner Tolerance of Ambiguity (TOA) Scale was administered before and after the course. The JSE showed no drop in empathy as students progressed from first to fourth year (p = 0.374). The TSET showed statistically significant increases in cultural self-efficacy (p < 0.001) in the cognitive and practical components but no change in the affective component of the scale. After the art course, TOA significantly improved on two [solubility (p = 0.009) and complexity (p = 0.21)] of the three subscales, but not novelty (p = 0.62). Empathy and cultural self-efficacy remained consistently high throughout medical school and did not decrease during the clinical years in an institution prioritizing the humanities and community engagement. Comfort with cultural competency generally improved throughout training. After taking an art course that emphasizes cognitive flexibility and a multiple perspectival approach, students demonstrated greater tolerance for ambiguity.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-06040-7Medical humanitiesEmpathyCultural competencyTolerance for ambiguityArtProfessional identity formation |
| spellingShingle | Sruthi Srinivasan Jean-Sebastien Rachoin Matthew Gentile Krystal Hunter Elizabeth Cerceo Empathy and cultural competence remains stable for medical students: do the humanities have an effect? BMC Medical Education Medical humanities Empathy Cultural competency Tolerance for ambiguity Art Professional identity formation |
| title | Empathy and cultural competence remains stable for medical students: do the humanities have an effect? |
| title_full | Empathy and cultural competence remains stable for medical students: do the humanities have an effect? |
| title_fullStr | Empathy and cultural competence remains stable for medical students: do the humanities have an effect? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Empathy and cultural competence remains stable for medical students: do the humanities have an effect? |
| title_short | Empathy and cultural competence remains stable for medical students: do the humanities have an effect? |
| title_sort | empathy and cultural competence remains stable for medical students do the humanities have an effect |
| topic | Medical humanities Empathy Cultural competency Tolerance for ambiguity Art Professional identity formation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-06040-7 |
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