Empathy Scores and Curriculum Integration at Two Different Levels: A Cross-Sectional Study of Final-Year Medical and Dental Students.

BACKGROUND

Empathy is a defining trait for healthcare professionals as it fosters trust and understanding between providers and patients. In medical and dental education, empathy is required for enhancing protective health outcomes. Empathy levels vary among medical students throughout their medical schooling and are impacted by factors such as curriculum structure, clinical exposure, and personal characteristics.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to compare empathy scores corresponding to different levels of curricular integration as defined by Harden, in order to identify any potential differences in empathy levels between two groups.

METHODOLOGY

Two study samples, one consisting of medical students and the other of dental students, completed the Kiersma-Chen Empathy Scale-Revised (KCES-R). Empathy scores were assessed across two levels of curriculum integration based on Harden's integration ladder.

RESULTS

The results indicated that students instructed at a higher level of curricular integration reported higher empathy scores compared to those instructed at a lower integration level.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the findings of this study suggest a positive relationship between curricular integration and empathy scores in medical and dental students.