Observational studyBMC medical education2025
Investigating the effects of a short narratology module on empathy and patient-centred communication in early-stage medical students: an empirical mixed-methods pilot study.
Observational study in BMC medical education, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07084077 (Investigating the Effects of a Short Narratology Education Module on Empathy and Patient-centred Communication in Early-stage Medical Students), which is not on this map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Investigating the Effects of a Short Narratology Education Module on Empathy and Patient-centred Communication in Early-stage Medical Students: an Empirical Mixed-methods Pilot Study.
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6 authors.
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No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundEffective communication is a fundamental skill in clinical medicine; however, traditional approaches often fail to equip learners with an ability to authentically and empathically engage with the complexities of real patients' experiences. Narratology has been proposed as a pedagogical framework for augmenting empathy and patient-centred communication in medical students.
methodsIn April 2025, we undertook a mixed-methods pilot study to evaluate the impact of a one-week narratology module on second-year undergraduate medical students at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), Dublin. The module involved close reading, group viewings, facilitated small-group workshops, and whole-group discussions in response to narrative works by Irish writers and storytellers, followed by written personal reflections. At the outset and conclusion of the module, each student undertook a clinical history with a simulated patient (SP) portraying early-stage dementia. SPs assessed each student's empathy and communication using the Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) Measure.
resultsOverall, 30 medical students (age 20 ± 1.1 yrs, 59.1% female) were included; of these, 22 completed both SP encounters. Total CARE Measure score significantly increased post-intervention: median within-subject difference = 3.00 (-0.25, 10.00) [P = 0.0035]. Analysis of individual CARE Measure items revealed significant improvement post-intervention in "Q2: Letting you tell your story" (P = 0.0131), "Q3: Really listening" (P = 0.0474), "Q4: Being interested in you as a whole person" (P = 0.0474), "Q5: Fully understanding your concerns" (P = 0.0369), and "Q6: Showing care and compassion" (P = 0.0054). Qualitative analysis of students' written reflections (n = 30) identified three themes: (i) developing a safe and respectful communication environment; (ii) recognising the patient as a whole individual; and, (iii) growing in empathy and emotional connection.
conclusionOur results show that empathy and communication in early-stage medical students can improve following a short narratology module. Further prospective studies are now required to explore the longer-term effects of narratology on patient-centred healthcare.
trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT07084077 (Retrospective registration).
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