Exploring Medical Students' Perceptions of Empathy Training in The Indian Attitude, Ethics, and Communication Curriculum: An Exploratory Qualitative Descriptive Survey.

BACKGROUND

Empathy is widely recognized as a core component of patient-centered care and an important professional competency for medical graduates. In India, the attitude, ethics, and communication (AETCOM) module was introduced within the competency-based MBBS curriculum to foster empathy, communication skills, and professionalism. However, limited qualitative evidence exists regarding students' experiences of empathy-focused teaching within this curriculum. This study explored medical students' perceptions and experiences of empathy-focused AETCOM sessions and their views regarding the teachability of empathy.

METHODS

An exploratory qualitative descriptive survey was conducted among second-year MBBS students at a tertiary-care medical institute in June 2025. An anonymous online survey containing a single open-ended question-"What are your perceptions and experiences regarding the AETCOM classes focused on empathy?"-was administered following informed consent. Seventy-five students submitted written responses. Responses were reviewed independently by two researchers and organized into descriptive categories representing common patterns in participants' experiences and perceptions.

RESULTS

Four broad categories were identified. Students generally perceived role-plays, simulations, patient narratives, and faculty experiences as valuable learning approaches. Participants described increased awareness of active listening, patient-centered communication, and patients' emotional concerns. Suggested improvements included greater use of interactive and practice-oriented teaching methods, shorter sessions, and incorporation of emotional resilience and self-care training. A small minority of students expressed reservations regarding the impact of empathy teaching and viewed empathy primarily as an innate personal attribute.

CONCLUSION

Students generally viewed empathy-focused AETCOM sessions positively, particularly when delivered through interactive and experiential approaches. The findings suggest that learner feedback may help inform the ongoing refinement of empathy-focused teaching within undergraduate medical education.