An assessment of undergraduate paramedic students' empathy levels

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the extent of empathy in paramedic students across seven Australian universities. Methods: A cross-sectional study using a paper-based questionnaire employing a convenience sample of first, second, and third year undergraduate paramedic students. Student empathy levels were measured using the Medical Condition Regard Scale (MCRS). Results: A total of 783 students participated in the study of which 57% were females. The medical conditions: intellectual disability, attempted suicide, and acute mental illness all produced mean scores above 50 suggesting good empathetic regard, while patients presenting with substance abuse produced the lowest mean score (M=41.57, SD= 12.29). There was a statistically significant difference between males (M=49.79) and females (M=51.61) for patients with intellectual disability (t (778) =2.76, p=0.006).