Comparison of the general empathy levels and medical empathy skills ofmedical expertise students of akdeniz university medical faculty

Comparison of the General Empathy Levels and Medical Empathy Skills of Medical Expertise Students of Akdeniz University Medical Faculty The objectives of this study are; 1) determination of clinical empathy levels in physicians who are trained in medicine; 2) The evaluation of the change of empathy, which has an important place in patient-physician communication and in improving the quality of healthcare delivery, throughout the specialist education. The universe of this study, which is planned in cross-sectional type, was composed of medical specialty students studying at Akdeniz University Faculty of Medicine. Within the scope of the research, from the first to fourth year assistant physicians, at least 30 from each specialty year (10 from the assistants in the 5th year, n= 262), who are studying specialty in the Departments of Internal and Surgical Medicine Departments participated in this study. The data were collected by applying face-to-face questionnaires to physicians who volunteered to participate in the study in the 4-month period between 01.09.2019 - 31.12.2019. The mean age of assistant physicians (n = 262) participating in the study was 28.19±2.92 years, while 51.1% were women, 37.8 were married and 13.7% had at least one child. The Toronto Empathy Scale (TES) score average was 52.08±6.16, while the Jefferson Empathy Scale (JSPE-HP) score average was 74.75±9.85. The scores of TEO were statistically significantly higher in females than males, in physicians aged 35 and over compared to those aged 24-29, in physicians assistant at 4 and 5 years compared to physicians at 1 and 2 years. JSPE-HP scores were found to be statistically significantly higher in physicians aged 35 and over than those aged 24-29, and there was no significant difference compared to the assistant year. It was found that the scores of TES were statistically significantly higher in resident physicians who were in the internal branch, who had a negative event in the last 1 year (death, disease, divorce, etc.) compared to those who were in the surgical branch and did not experience a negative event. On the other hand, JPSE scores were found that the assistant physicians, who are in the internal branch, are satisfied with the working environment, have a weekly working time of 40 hours or less, and who have a chronic disease, were statistically significantly higher than those who did not. It was found that both scale (TEÖ and JSPE-HP) scores were statistically significantly lower for assistant physicians who have had a situation of complaints verbally or in writing by the patient or his relatives, to be brought to court, etc. during his assistant, than those who did not experience such a negative situation. While general empathy level remains relatively constant in assistant physicians, clinical empathy levels decrease as the assistant physicians period increases. The low level of clinical empathy of the assistants indicates that the assistant training process should be re-evaluated and initiatives should be planned to increase the clinical empathy levels of the assistants. Key Words: Empathy, Specialist Student in Medicine