Empathy, Moral Sensitivity, and Prosocial Behavior Among Medical Undergraduates in a South Indian Tertiary Care Teaching Institute: An Analytical Cross-Sectional Study

This study revealed significant gender differences in empathy, moral sensitivity, and prosocialness among medical students. Females scored higher in empathy and moral sensitivity, whereas males showed greater prosocial behavior. The positive correlations between empathy and prosocialness and between moral sensitivity and prosocialness highlight their interconnectedness. Educational interventions that target empathy and moral sensitivity could help nurture more compassionate, ethical healthcare professionals. Future research should explore how these traits evolve throughout medical education.