gms | German Medical Science

Objective: This systematic scoping review aims to identify what approaches have been implemented in medical education programs to teach medical students the skills to identify and manage the emotions they may experience in the context of physician-patient interactions and in the clinical environment. Emotions of all involved in the clinical encounter are central to the process of clinical care. However, a gap remains in teaching medical students how to recognise and deal with their own emotions.

Methods: This scoping review follows the updated JBI methodology guidance for the conduct and reporting of systematic scoping reviews, and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). A search strategy was developed and applied to five databases (Medline, PsychInfo, ERIC, CINAHL and Web of Science – Social Sciences Citation Index SSCI) from inception to May 15, 2023. No Language restrictions were applied. The search strategy combined terms related to the population (medical students, trainees, or residents), exposure (medical education, teaching methods (undergraduate), curriculum) and outcomes (emotion regulation, psychological wellbeing, mental health). 6726 references were included. In a first phase, two independent reviewers screened all titles and abstracts. Data of included studies after the full-text review (n>126) is being extracted for analyses via an extraction tool that has been pilot-tested. The extraction tool includes a combination of applicable items from the TIDieR (Template for Intervention Description and Replication) and the PAGER (Patterns, Advances, Gaps, Evidence for practice, Research recommendations) frameworks, as well as additional variables added by the authors.

Results: Based on the data extracted so far, studies have employed a variety of designs including qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods, using diverse teaching methods including lectures, reflective rounds, or reflective writing. Delivery formats comprise modalities such as online, onsite, action-based, small- and large-group settings, teaching various aspects of emotions and emotion skills such as the meaning of death for students, guilt, or shame. The studies have targeted medical students all the way from year 1 to clinical years, as well as samples mixing medical students from different years. Other studies have mixed medical students with junior doctors, and with students from other professions, such as social work and nursing.

Discussion: The results of this scoping review will inform the development and implementation of training programs and research studies aimed at preparing medical students to identify and manage their own emotions in the clinical environment.