Are our future doctors emotionally competent? Emotional intelligence of students at a Medical University in Pakistan; A cross-sectional study

Sidra Hamid; Tayyaba Idrees; Sumia Fatima

Abstract
Objective: To analyze various aspects of Emotional Intelligence of students, and their relation with academic performance, gender, residence and high school education, and to assess their viewpoint about the importance of emotional intelligence in medical education and its benefits and risks.
Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted among the students of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year MBBS at Rawalpindi Medical University from Aug 2021 to May 2022. NHS Leadership Tool kit Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire was used. Data were collected by random sampling technique from 600 students, with 200 students from each year. Analysis was done using SPSS 22 and Chi Square test was applied for significance.
Results: There was significant relation between academic performance and Emotional Quotient (p=0.02). A very little percentage of the medical students obtained adequate scores on the EQ test (32.5%, 39%, and 32% in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year, respectively). The students who had obtained their high school education from government colleges were more emotionally competent than those of private colleges (p=0.001). Male and female students had same EQ in most aspects, but female students were better at motivating themselves for difficult tasks (p=0.02). Mean EQ score came out to be 171.3 with minimum score of 88 and Maximum 222.
Conclusion: The scores achieved by the students in the EQ test reflect the low level of emotional intelligence among our future healthcare professionals. There is a dire need to develop emotional maturity in the medical students and clinicians, which calls for its inclusion in curricula, and regular checkpoints to determine emotional intelligence of the residents.

Key words: Emotional intelligence, emotional quotient, intelligence quotient, medical education.

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