Training Medical Students in Empathic Communication

Empathy is an important component of the doctor–patient relationship, yet previous studies point to its steady decline in medical students as they progress through medical school and residency programs. Empathy training has thus been identified as a goal of instruction, yet it is unclear how this training can best be implemented within the medical curriculum. This article describes the content of an exploratory empathy training program for 2 groups of 3rd-year medical students, and discusses changes made between the groups to enhance training outcomes. Preliminary results, important considerations for group process, group member characteristics, and future interventions are presented.