Does medical school affect students’ empathy? A cross-sectional study measuring empathy levels among Saudi medical students

Rand Abdulrahman Alshaya; Milad Abdulrahman Alshaya; Shawq Alshowaier; Munira Alsowailem; Abrar Alshamari; Sara Alhuwairini; Alaa Althubaiti

doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1670618695

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Original Article
Online Published: 29 Dec 2022

IJMDC. 2023; 7(3): 475-481

doi: 10.24911/IJMDC.51-1670618695

Does medical school affect students’ empathy? A cross-sectional study measuring empathy levels among Saudi medical students

Rand Abdulrahman Alshaya, Milad Abdulrahman Alshaya, Shawq Alshowaier, Munira Alsowailem, Abrar Alshamari, Sara Alhuwairini, Alaa Althubaiti.

Abstract
Objectives: This research aimed to measure empathy levels among medical students of all academic years and assess whether empathy levels decrease, increase, or remain the same throughout medical school. Also, to measure the mean empathy score and correlated empathy scores to different socio-demographic, personal, and familial variables.
Methods: This cross-sectional study included 400 medical students. The study was carried out from October 2020 to May 2021 using online-based surveys, which consisted of questions to collect socio-demographic data and the Toronto Empathy Questionnaire to measure empathy levels.
Results: There was no significant change in empathy levels among medical students as they progressed through medical school. However, below-average empathy levels were reported among medical students. There was no significant association between gender or age and empathy levels. Nevertheless, students with a disabled family member had significantly higher empathy levels than others.
Conclusion: Effective interventions and measures to enhance empathy and students’ psychosocial development are needed to achieve better future clinical outcomes.

Key words: Empathy, medical students, medical education, Toronto Empathy Scale.

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Pubmed Style

Alshaya RA, Alshaya MA, Alshowaier S, Alsowailem M, Alshamari A, Alhuwairini S, Althubaiti A. Does medical school affect students’ empathy? A cross-sectional study measuring empathy levels among Saudi medical students. IJMDC. 2023; 7(3): 475-481. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1670618695

Web Style

Alshaya RA, Alshaya MA, Alshowaier S, Alsowailem M, Alshamari A, Alhuwairini S, Althubaiti A. Does medical school affect students’ empathy? A cross-sectional study measuring empathy levels among Saudi medical students. https://www.ijmdc.com/?mno=93434 [Access: June 27, 2026]. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1670618695

AMA (American Medical Association) Style

Alshaya RA, Alshaya MA, Alshowaier S, Alsowailem M, Alshamari A, Alhuwairini S, Althubaiti A. Does medical school affect students’ empathy? A cross-sectional study measuring empathy levels among Saudi medical students. IJMDC. 2023; 7(3): 475-481. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1670618695

Vancouver/ICMJE Style

Alshaya RA, Alshaya MA, Alshowaier S, Alsowailem M, Alshamari A, Alhuwairini S, Althubaiti A. Does medical school affect students’ empathy? A cross-sectional study measuring empathy levels among Saudi medical students. IJMDC. (2023), [cited June 27, 2026]; 7(3): 475-481. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1670618695

Harvard Style

Alshaya, R. A., Alshaya, . M. A., Alshowaier, . S., Alsowailem, . M., Alshamari, . A., Alhuwairini, . S. & Althubaiti, . A. (2023) Does medical school affect students’ empathy? A cross-sectional study measuring empathy levels among Saudi medical students. IJMDC, 7 (3), 475-481. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1670618695

Turabian Style

Alshaya, Rand Abdulrahman, Milad Abdulrahman Alshaya, Shawq Alshowaier, Munira Alsowailem, Abrar Alshamari, Sara Alhuwairini, and Alaa Althubaiti. 2023. Does medical school affect students’ empathy? A cross-sectional study measuring empathy levels among Saudi medical students. International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries, 7 (3), 475-481. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1670618695

Chicago Style

Alshaya, Rand Abdulrahman, Milad Abdulrahman Alshaya, Shawq Alshowaier, Munira Alsowailem, Abrar Alshamari, Sara Alhuwairini, and Alaa Althubaiti. "Does medical school affect students’ empathy? A cross-sectional study measuring empathy levels among Saudi medical students." International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries 7 (2023), 475-481. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1670618695

MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style

APA (American Psychological Association) Style

Alshaya, R. A., Alshaya, . M. A., Alshowaier, . S., Alsowailem, . M., Alshamari, . A., Alhuwairini, . S. & Althubaiti, . A. (2023) Does medical school affect students’ empathy? A cross-sectional study measuring empathy levels among Saudi medical students. International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries, 7 (3), 475-481. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1670618695

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