Empathy in Internal Medicine Residents at Community-based Hospitals: A Cross-sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION: Many research reports revealed declining empathy in medical schools that continues in postgraduate years of training. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to examine the self-reported empathy levels of internal medicine (IM) residents in 3 community-based teaching hospitals. METHODS: The Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy, Health Professionals version, is an online, self-administered, questionnaire that was offered to 129 current and incoming residents at 1 osteopathic and 2 allopathic, IM training programs in Flint, Michigan. RESULTS: Forty-five residents responded (35% response rate). Our residents' cumulative mean empathy score was 112.5 with a SD of 12.72, which is comparable with the cumulative empathy scores for IM residents at university hospitals. There was an increase in empathy score from the beginning level of training, postgraduate year 0 (PGY0), to the PGY1 level, and a noticeable, although statistically non-significant, decrease in empathy score for both PGY2 and PGY3 residents. The graduating residents' scores were higher compared with incoming residents. CONCLUSIONS: The cumulative mean empathy score in community-based IM residents showed an increase in the beginning of residents' training and decrease in empathy score by the end of training. There were significant differences in empathy scores by level of training at individual hospitals. This might be related to different targeted curricula.

Surveying Resident and Faculty Physician Knowledge, Attitudes, and Experiences in Response to Public Lead Contamination.

Environmental health crises can appear anywhere and without warning. After research revealed a significant incidence of elevated pediatric blood lead levels following a water source change, Genesee County declared a public health emergency in Flint, Michigan. Hospital patients and family members began approaching Hurley Medical Center's physicians with questions regarding the health implications of the lead contamination. Many of the physicians voiced concerns about responding appropriately to patient needs and increasing demands for information. As a result, a Hurley research team decided to conduct an informal survey across training programs to determine the need for added education.Because of heightened patient anxiety, it was necessary for the timeline to progress quickly. In creating the survey, the team's objective was to assess resident and faculty physician knowledge, attitudes, and experiences concerning lead contamination. The results revealed a critical need for supplementary training. Therefore, Hurley embarked on an education campaign for its graduate medical education programs, benefiting physicians and patients alike.Patient and physician needs may change drastically following an environmental health emergency. It is the duty of medical centers to ensure their clinicians are well equipped to confront such threats. As prompt treatment is often a key to positive health outcomes, the authors stress the importance of acting quickly and suggest conducting informal surveys to identify gaps in physician knowledge. Likewise, the authors encourage medical educators nationwide to examine their environmental health curricula. It appears lead-contaminated water is not just a Flint problem but may have far-reaching implications for many cities.