Does empathy decline in the clinical phase of medical education? A study of students at Leicester medical school.

Objective: To examine whether medical student empathy changes throughout the five years of a UK medical school.

Methods: Students completed an online version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE-S) during the 2022-2023 academic year. Comparisons of empathy scores were made using analysis of variance (ANOVA), and independent -tests.

Uncovering the components of therapeutic empathy through thematic analysis of existing definitions.

Objectives: To identify the components of therapeutic empathy based on a review of existing definitions.

Methods: A search for therapeutic empathy definitions was conducted in two stages. First, a list of empathy definitions from within healthcare contexts was compiled using existing systematic reviews and a database of empathy definitions.

Co-production of guidance and resources to implement principled participant information leaflets (PrinciPILs).

Background: The way information about potential benefits and harms of trial is presented within participant information leaflets (PILs) varies widely and may cause unnecessary 'nocebo' effects. The Medical Research Council (MRC) funded a project that developed seven principles to reduce this variation. However, guidance has not been produced to facilitate the implementation of the principles.