Empathy in undergraduate medical students: A multivariate cross-sectional study in China

This study indicates that medical major choice and gender are predictive factors of empathy ability among medical students. More large-sample studies or qualitative research should be conducted to explore the influencing factors of empathy ability in medical students, with the aim of further enhancing their empathy levels. Additionally, we found that students who initially did not choose a medical major and male students are groups with relatively lower empathy levels. Medical schools should focus on empathy education for these groups in future training programs, aiming to increase their interest in medicine and improve their empathy levels.