PURPOSE: Empathy is critical for medical doctors, as it enables them to conduct good patient-centred care. Medical students are expected to learn this ability as part of their education and training. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional design, the present study was conducted to identify whether the empathy levels of medical students are affected by their stress levels. A translated version of the Perceived Stress Scale-10 was used to measure the students’ stress levels, while the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy was used to measure their empathy levels. RESULTS: A total of 464 students from one medical school in Indonesia participated in the study. Stress levels among medical students peak in their first year of study and maintain a downward trend over the following years. The students’ empathy levels increased during their first 3 years, declined significantly upon entering the first clinical year, and increased during the second clinical year. However, no correlations were found between stress level and empathy level. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that there may be other underlying factors that contribute to empathy decline among medical students upon entering their first clinical year. Further research should be conducted to identify these factors. The bounced-back of empathy level to a higher level in the second year highlights the importance of student adaptation in the clinical learning environment and the support system.

PURPOSE: Empathy is critical for medical doctors, as it enables them to conduct good patient-centred care. Medical students are expected to learn this ability as part of their education and training. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional design, the present study was conducted to identify whether the empathy levels of medical students are affected by their stress levels. A translated version of the Perceived Stress Scale-10 was used to measure the students’ stress levels, while the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy was used to measure their empathy levels. RESULTS: A total of 464 students from one medical school in Indonesia participated in the study. Stress levels among medical students peak in their first year of study and maintain a downward trend over the following years. The students’ empathy levels increased during their first 3 years, declined significantly upon entering the first clinical year, and increased during the second clinical year. However, no correlations were found between stress level and empathy level. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that there may be other underlying factors that contribute to empathy decline among medical students upon entering their first clinical year. Further research should be conducted to identify these factors. The bounced-back of empathy level to a higher level in the second year highlights the importance of student adaptation in the clinical learning environment and the support system.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Education ; Empathy ; Humans ; Indonesia ; Learning ; Schools, Medical ; Students, Medical

PURPOSE: First-year students are susceptible to experiencing burnout if the coping mechanism being used is inadequate; therefore, employing effective coping mechanisms could help students to minimize burnout. Coping mechanisms are divided into five groups: problem-focused, emotion-focused, dysfunctional coping, adaptive, and maladaptive coping. The burnout dimension includes emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and decreased academic performance that may be influenced by gender. This study aims to elaborate on the relationship between gender and coping mechanisms with burnout events in first-year medical students. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study using a total sample of first-year students from a medical school. RESULTS: A total of 167 respondents (response rate 98.9%) completed a Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Questionnaire and Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey. The results showed that there was no significant relationship between gender and burnout (p>0.05). On the contrary, maladaptive/dysfunctional coping had a significant positive correlation with emotional exhaustion (r=0.403, p<0.001) and cynicism (r=0.372, p<0.001). Adaptive coping had a significant negative correlation with cynicism (r=-0.165, p=0.033) and a significant positive correlation with perception of personal accomplishment (r=0.417, p<0.001). CONCLUSION In conclusion, there was no significant relationship between gender and burnout. However, maladaptive/dysfunctional coping had a positive correlation with emotional exhaustion and cynicism. On the other hand, adaptive coping had a negative correlation with cynicism and a positive correlation with perception of personal accomplishment.

Purpose: Effective and efficient health services require efforts to increase collaboration among health professionals. One of the barriers to effective collaboration is stereotypes. Stereotypes represent perceptions or perspectives about a person or group of people. This study aims to explore the perceptions of health professional students and practitioners regarding stereotypes. Methods: This was a qualitative study using a phenomenology approach. A sample of health professions students from both preclinical and clinical stages, as well as health practitioners, was selected using a maximum variation sampling method. Primary data collection was conducted through focus group discussions. Data obtained were analyzed using thematic analysis. A total of nine focus group discussions were conducted. Results: Four themes were identified from this study, including the types of stereotypes, factors affecting stereotype formation, the implications of stereotypes, and how to overcome stereotypes. Stereotype formation was affected by the lack of understanding of other health professions’ roles, hierarchical culture, personal experience in receiving healthcare, and community view. Stereotypes among health professionals created obstacles to healthcare team communication and reduced self-confidence in certain health professionals. These stereotypes may be overcome through competency development and knowledge sharing among professionals as well as through education on other health care professionals’ roles and competencies so that each profession possessed similar goals for patient safety. Conclusion Both positive and negative stereotypes negatively affected collaboration. Stereotypes were greatly affected by multifactorial causes. Therefore, understanding other professions’ roles and conducting interprofessional education are important to overcome stereotypes.

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has affected many aspects of life, including medical education. The selection of students using multiple mini-interviews (MMI) should be adapted promptly as internet-based MMI (iMMI) in the current setting. The current transition from MMI to iMMI is supported by experience in conducting conventional MMI in previous years; hence, the station and assessor preparation could be completed without significant issues. The greater challenges to the use of iMMI are due to technical issues, including poor internet connections and adaptations necessary for assessing candidates’ nonverbal expressions. This paper aims to describe the experience of conducting iMMI in the current pandemic situation, with further highlights on contextual challenges in a limited-resource setting.

Purpose: Effective and efficient health services require efforts to increase collaboration among health professionals. One of the barriers to effective collaboration is stereotypes. Stereotypes represent perceptions or perspectives about a person or group of people. This study aims to explore the perceptions of health professional students and practitioners regarding stereotypes. Methods: This was a qualitative study using a phenomenology approach. A sample of health professions students from both preclinical and clinical stages, as well as health practitioners, was selected using a maximum variation sampling method. Primary data collection was conducted through focus group discussions. Data obtained were analyzed using thematic analysis. A total of nine focus group discussions were conducted. Results: Four themes were identified from this study, including the types of stereotypes, factors affecting stereotype formation, the implications of stereotypes, and how to overcome stereotypes. Stereotype formation was affected by the lack of understanding of other health professions’ roles, hierarchical culture, personal experience in receiving healthcare, and community view. Stereotypes among health professionals created obstacles to healthcare team communication and reduced self-confidence in certain health professionals. These stereotypes may be overcome through competency development and knowledge sharing among professionals as well as through education on other health care professionals’ roles and competencies so that each profession possessed similar goals for patient safety. Conclusion Both positive and negative stereotypes negatively affected collaboration. Stereotypes were greatly affected by multifactorial causes. Therefore, understanding other professions’ roles and conducting interprofessional education are important to overcome stereotypes.

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has affected many aspects of life, including medical education. The selection of students using multiple mini-interviews (MMI) should be adapted promptly as internet-based MMI (iMMI) in the current setting. The current transition from MMI to iMMI is supported by experience in conducting conventional MMI in previous years; hence, the station and assessor preparation could be completed without significant issues. The greater challenges to the use of iMMI are due to technical issues, including poor internet connections and adaptations necessary for assessing candidates’ nonverbal expressions. This paper aims to describe the experience of conducting iMMI in the current pandemic situation, with further highlights on contextual challenges in a limited-resource setting.

PURPOSE: First-year students are susceptible to experiencing burnout if the coping mechanism being used is inadequate; therefore, employing effective coping mechanisms could help students to minimize burnout. Coping mechanisms are divided into five groups: problem-focused, emotion-focused, dysfunctional coping, adaptive, and maladaptive coping. The burnout dimension includes emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and decreased academic performance that may be influenced by gender. This study aims to elaborate on the relationship between gender and coping mechanisms with burnout events in first-year medical students. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study using a total sample of first-year students from a medical school. RESULTS: A total of 167 respondents (response rate 98.9%) completed a Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Questionnaire and Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey. The results showed that there was no significant relationship between gender and burnout (p>0.05). On the contrary, maladaptive/dysfunctional coping had a significant positive correlation with emotional exhaustion (r=0.403, p<0.001) and cynicism (r=0.372, p<0.001). Adaptive coping had a significant negative correlation with cynicism (r=-0.165, p=0.033) and a significant positive correlation with perception of personal accomplishment (r=0.417, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, there was no significant relationship between gender and burnout. However, maladaptive/dysfunctional coping had a positive correlation with emotional exhaustion and cynicism. On the other hand, adaptive coping had a negative correlation with cynicism and a positive correlation with perception of personal accomplishment.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Hand ; Humans ; Schools, Medical ; Students, Medical ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Purpose: Residents’ gender, residency level, and hospital types might influence their attitudes towards clinical supervision (CS); however, reports of its impact on cardiology residency are nonexistent. We explore the effect of gender, residency level, and hospital location’s effect on Indonesian cardiology trainees’ attitudes towards CS. Methods: A multi-centered, cross-sectional study was conducted. We invited 490 Indonesian cardiology residents in September– October 2019 to complete the Cardiology CS Scale. Residents’ attitudes, gender, university, and residency year were expressed using descriptive statistics. A Mann-Whitney test analyzed the gender and university location effect on residents’ attitudes. Training year and university’s impact were subjected to the Kruskal-Wallis test; a p-value of <0.05 reflected a significant result. Results: A total of 388 residents agreed to participate (response rate=79.18%). Most of them were male (n=229 [59,02%]), attended universities in Java Island (n=262 [67,52%]), and were in their 2nd–3rd year of training (n=95 [24.48%], each). There were no significant differences in residents’ attitudes between genders (U [Nmale=229, Nfemale=159]=17,908.50, z=-0.27, p=0.78). Generally, their attitudes were significantly affected by the university (H(7)=47.38, p<0.01). However, the university location (located in Java Island or outside Java Island) does not affect residents’ attitude towards CS (U [NJava=262, Nnon-Java=126]=15,237.00, z=-1.23, p=0.22). In addition, the residents’ training year also affected the residents’ response (H(2)=14.278, p<0.01). Conclusion Cardiology residents’ attitudes towards CS are significantly influenced by training year and university but not gender or university location. The results might provide insightful information for further improvement of CS in cardiology training and guide further evaluation.