We assessed empathy in medical residents, including factors modifying empathy and the relationship between empathy and burnout. Participants (n = 317 residents, response rate = 42%) from 4 university hospitals completed a socio-demographic questionnaire, the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (Health Professional version, Korean edition), and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Participants were classified by medical specialty: “people-oriented specialty” (POS group) or “technology-oriented specialty” (TOS group), with more women in the POS than in the TOS group, χ2 = 14.12, P < 0.001. Being female, married, and having children were factors related to higher empathy (gender, t = -2.129, P = 0.034; marriage, t = -2.078, P = 0.038; children, t = 2.86, P = 0.005). Within specialty group, POS residents showed higher empathy scores in the fourth as compared to the first year, F = 3.166, P = 0.026. Comparing POS and TOS groups by year, fourth year POS residents had significantly higher scores than did fourth year TOS residents, t = 3.349, P = 0.002. There were negative correlations between empathy scores and 2 MBI subscales, emotional exhaustion (EE) and depersonalization (DP). Additionally, first year POS residents had higher DP scores than did first year TOS residents, t = 2.183, P = 0.031. We suggest that factors important for empathy are type of medical specialty, marriage, siblings, and children. Burnout state may be related to decreasing empathy.

BackgroundThis study aims to determine the correlation between medical education systems, medical college (MC) and medical school (MS), and empathy by investigating the changes in empathy among students with each additional year of medical education.MethodsThe subjects were MC and MS students who had participated in the same study the previous year. All participants completed the same self-report instruments: a questionnaire on sociodemographic characteristics, and the Korean edition of the Student Version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE-S-K), Among 334 students, the final analysis was conducted on the data provided by 113 MC and 120 MS students, excluding 101 with incomplete data.ResultsThe age and sex did not affect the changes in empathy. Though the JSE-S-K score of MS was significantly higher than that of MC in initial investigation, this study found no difference of empathy between MC and MS.ConclusionEmpathy increased significantly after one year of medical education. The difference between two education systems, MC and MS, did not affect the changes in empathy.

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Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurobehavioral disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. In the present study, we investigated the effects of swimming exercise on the symptoms of ADHD in correlation with the expression levels of dopamine and the dopamine D2 receptor. Adult male spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHRs) were used as animal models of ADHD and Wistar-Kyoto rats were used as controls. The activity, impulsivity and levels of non-aggressive and aggressive behaviors in rats were measured. The short-term memory in the animal models of ADHD was assessed using an open-field test. The social interaction test, elevated plus maze test and step-through avoidance test were additionally performed. The expression levels of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), which catalyzes the rate‑limiting step of dopamine synthesis, and the dopamine D2 receptor in the prefrontal cortex, substantia nigra and striatum were evaluated. The expression levels of TH and the dopamine D2 receptor were detected using immunohistochemistry and western blotting, respectively. In ADHD rats, the activity, impulsivity and levels of non-aggressive and aggressive behaviors were higher than that in control rats. By contrast, short-term memory in ADHD rats deteriorated. Swimming exercise suppressed hyperactivity, impulsivity and non-aggressive and aggressive behaviors, and alleviated the short-term memory impairment observed in ADHD rats. The expression levels of TH and the dopamine D2 receptor were decreased and increased in ADHD rats, respectively, when compared with control rats. Swimming exercise enhanced the expression of TH and suppressed the expression of the dopamine D2 receptor in ADHD rats. In the present study, swimming exercise improved the symptoms of ADHD by upregulating the expression of dopamine and downregulating the expression of the dopamine D2 receptor.