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Original Research
Online Published: 23 Apr 2014
 
RMJ. 2014; 39(2): 208-211


Empathy building in undergraduate medical students through an interaction with Persons with Disabilities in their natural home environment A Descriptive Qualitative study

Faiza Shuja, Samin Ansari, Tooba Babar, Saneya Nasim, Saad Rauf, Rashid Qamar, Sana Haq.


Abstract
Background: Empathetic communication is regarded as the best approach to meet the needs of a person with disabilities (PWDs) and is critical to the development of professionalism in the undergraduate medical students. The purpose of the study is to enhance empathy in the undergraduate medical students by exposing them to PWDs in their natural home environment.
Methods: Through home visiting technique a group of 15 medical students (3 batches of 5 each) were taken in the community for interaction with PWDs. 5 in-depth interviews & 3 focus group discussions were done in order to explore students’ emotions. Households with PWDs were identified with the help of local NGO “Disabled People Development Organization”. Twenty five households with PWDs were visited, 05 on daily basis. Students attended few sessions on communication skills & a motivating talk was given by the president of organization, who himself was physically disabled. Data regarding the total number of households with PWDs visited, stating the nature of their disability was recorded on the daily basis. Their disabilities were diverse and ranged in severity from mild mobility limitations to total dependence for care.
Results: Students’ shared their emotions and experience of interaction with PWDs in a very positive manner and expressed how this interaction served to inculcate compassion and empathy among them. It was a real display of student’s emotions and feelings, truly reflective of their concern and empathy for the suffering community.
Conclusion: Real life community exposure is critical to enhancement of empathy in the undergraduate medical students. Household community surveys should be incorporated into undergraduate medical curriculum which will help students to adopt the holistic health approach.

Key words: Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), Community exposure, Empathy


 
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How to Cite this Article
Pubmed Style

Shuja F, Ansari S, Babar T, Nasim S, Rauf S, Qamar R, Haq S. Empathy building in undergraduate medical students through an interaction with Persons with Disabilities in their natural home environment A Descriptive Qualitative study. RMJ. 2014; 39(2): 208-211.

Web Style

Shuja F, Ansari S, Babar T, Nasim S, Rauf S, Qamar R, Haq S. Empathy building in undergraduate medical students through an interaction with Persons with Disabilities in their natural home environment A Descriptive Qualitative study. https://www.rmj.org.pk/?mno=149502 [Access: June 23, 2026].

AMA (American Medical Association) Style

Shuja F, Ansari S, Babar T, Nasim S, Rauf S, Qamar R, Haq S. Empathy building in undergraduate medical students through an interaction with Persons with Disabilities in their natural home environment A Descriptive Qualitative study. RMJ. 2014; 39(2): 208-211.


Vancouver/ICMJE Style

Shuja F, Ansari S, Babar T, Nasim S, Rauf S, Qamar R, Haq S. Empathy building in undergraduate medical students through an interaction with Persons with Disabilities in their natural home environment A Descriptive Qualitative study. RMJ. (2014), [cited June 23, 2026]; 39(2): 208-211.


Harvard Style

Shuja, F., Ansari, . S., Babar, . T., Nasim, . S., Rauf, . S., Qamar, . R. & Haq, . S. (2014) Empathy building in undergraduate medical students through an interaction with Persons with Disabilities in their natural home environment A Descriptive Qualitative study. RMJ, 39 (2), 208-211.


Turabian Style

Shuja, Faiza, Samin Ansari, Tooba Babar, Saneya Nasim, Saad Rauf, Rashid Qamar, and Sana Haq. 2014. Empathy building in undergraduate medical students through an interaction with Persons with Disabilities in their natural home environment A Descriptive Qualitative study. Rawal Medical Journal, 39 (2), 208-211.


Chicago Style

Shuja, Faiza, Samin Ansari, Tooba Babar, Saneya Nasim, Saad Rauf, Rashid Qamar, and Sana Haq. "Empathy building in undergraduate medical students through an interaction with Persons with Disabilities in their natural home environment A Descriptive Qualitative study." Rawal Medical Journal 39 (2014), 208-211.


MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style

Shuja, Faiza, Samin Ansari, Tooba Babar, Saneya Nasim, Saad Rauf, Rashid Qamar, and Sana Haq. "Empathy building in undergraduate medical students through an interaction with Persons with Disabilities in their natural home environment A Descriptive Qualitative study." Rawal Medical Journal 39.2 (2014), 208-211. Print.


APA (American Psychological Association) Style

Shuja, F., Ansari, . S., Babar, . T., Nasim, . S., Rauf, . S., Qamar, . R. & Haq, . S. (2014) Empathy building in undergraduate medical students through an interaction with Persons with Disabilities in their natural home environment A Descriptive Qualitative study. Rawal Medical Journal, 39 (2), 208-211.


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