Assessing empathy levels in postgraduate students of pathology: a cross-sectional study

Objective: To assess empathy scores among postgraduate students enrolled in the M. Phil programs of various Pathology disciplines at Khyber Medical University (KMU) Peshawar, Pakistan. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Institute of Pathology and Diagnostic Medicine, KMU, Peshawar, Pakistan, between March and October 2023. A total of 48 students from M. Phil Histopathology, Hematology, Oral Pathology, and Microbiology were enrolled through consecutive sampling. Participants completed the Jefferson Scale of Empathy – Health Professions Student (JSE-HPS) questionnaire. Demographic and clinical variables were recorded, and data were analyzed using SPSS v.26. Results: Out of 48 students, 43 completed the questionnaire (response rate: 89.5%). Of these, 15 (34.9%) were males and 28 (65.1%) females; 51.2% held MBBS/BDS degrees and 48.8% were from Allied Health Sciences. The mean JSE score was 92.9 ± 9.2, with a median of 93.0. Subscale means for perspective-taking, compassionate care, and walking in patients’ shoes were 54.1±6.4, 35.5±6.3, and 7.4±2.5, respectively. Empathy scores showed no statistically significant association with gender, age group, academic qualification, M. Phil specialization, prior clinical experience, or level of seniority. Median scores reflected a similar pattern, with slightly higher empathy noted among males, Allied Health graduates, and those without prior clinical exposure, though none reached statistical significance. Conclusion: Empathy scores among M. Phil students in pathology disciplines were modest and showed no significant association with demographic or educational variables. Compared to international literature, the overall empathy levels appear lower, highlighting the need for enhanced focus on empathy development in postgraduate pathology education