UK surgical trainees have shed light on their perceptions of empathy in medical practice.
Research conducted by a team at the University of Birmingham delves into the intricate dynamics of empathy towards patients and colleagues, revealing insights that challenge conventional wisdom.
Empathy is widely recognised as a cornerstone of medical care. Increased physician empathy has been linked to better patient outcomes and satisfaction, yet there has been little exploration of its presence in surgical training.
The study involved interviews with 10 surgical trainees at various stages of their careers to uncover a nuanced understanding of empathy within the profession.
Contrary to the widely documented decline in empathy among medical students and professionals, participants described their experiences as a balance between empathy and the demands of surgical practice.
Participants acknowledged the importance of empathy in patient care but highlighted the challenges of maintaining it amid the pressures of a surgical environment.
They described a delicate balance between understanding patients’ needs and the efficiency required to manage high patient volumes and demanding workloads.
The study revealed how empathy evolves throughout a surgeon’s career.
Whilst some trainees experienced desensitisation to emotional stimuli, many described increased empathy as they gained more experience and exposure to patient care.
This nuanced perspective challenges traditional notions of empathy decline and suggests a more complex interplay between personal and professional growth.
The impact of the COVID pandemic on empathy and teamwork within surgical teams was also a significant theme.
Participants discussed how the pandemic exacerbated feelings of burnout and strained interprofessional relationships yet highlighted improved teamwork and solidarity in the face of adversity.
The study also uncovered generational shifts in attitudes towards empathy among doctors, with younger consultants being perceived as more empathetic than their predecessors. This suggests a broader societal change towards a more compassionate approach to patient care.
However, ongoing challenges include competition within surgical training programmes and discrimination and microaggressions in the workplace.
These findings underscore the need for continued efforts to foster empathy and inclusivity within the medical profession.
The authors concluded: ‘The data generated from this study is novel, as surgical trainees are a previously little-researched study population, particularly in the UK. They are important because they provide a detailed insight into surgical training in the UK, particularly the longer-term impacts of previous structural changes and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on training.’
The qualitative study offers valuable insights into the complex empathy landscape among surgical trainees in the UK.
By exploring individual experiences and perceptions, the research provides a deeper understanding of empathy in medical practice and highlights areas for future research and intervention.
- ‘The ebbs and flows of empathy: a qualitative study of surgical trainees in the UK’ published in BMC Medical Education. The authors are Pranathi Yannamani and Nicola Kay Gale.
