ПОНЯТТЯ ЕМОЦІЙНОГО ІНТЕЛЕКТУ В КОНТЕКСТІ ПІДГОТОВКИ СТУДЕНТА-МЕДИКА

In today's context of adaptation of the educational process to the harsh conditions of martial law, globalisation, informatisation and the rapid advancement of scientific and technological progress, the development of so-called ‘soft skills’ is of great importance. This includes emotional intelligence, which is the ability of an individual to recognise, understand and manage their own emotions, thoughts, feelings, motivation to act, as well as to empathise with others. This also includes the capacity of a person to manage their own emotional states in crisis situations (war, natural disaster, complicated life citcumstances or professional challenges), the ability to work in a team (developing and solving a clinical scenario, working in wards with complex patients, etc.) Emotional intelligence is crucial for professionals to swiftly adapt to challenging circumstances, flexibly adjust work schedules, and establish effective teamwork. However, despite its significance, there is currently insufficient data on the effective integration of emotional intelligence into the educational process in higher medical institutions.Aim. To analyse the concept of ‘emotional intelligence’ in the context of the educational process in higher medical education institutions based on the literature sources and personal observations.Materials and methods. To achieve this goal, we used data from Google Scholar and PubMed search engines. At the second stage of the study, we interviewed 434 students of the 4th-6th year of Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University to assess their knowledge and perceptions of emotional intelligence. The survey consisted of 10 short, anonymous questions administered via Google Forms.Results. According to the survey results, 74.4% of students consciously approach the survey processes in an attempt to manage their emotional state. And 87.7% of students pay attention to the emotions of others in the learning process, which indicates a high level of emotional intelligence and adequate interaction. Instead, 19.1% of respondents cannot indicate the origin of these emotions or clearly identify them. About 10% of students are unable to control their own emotions in the learning process. In a stressful situation, 31.8% of respondents believe that it is more difficult for them to control their emotions, which has significant consequences for mental health. Conclusions. The findings suggest a high level of emotional intelligence among students at all stages of undergraduate medical training. However, stress significantly impacts the mental health of 31.8% of students.