Abstract

Empathy is a vital characteristic for all health professionals. However, it is also a difficult behavioural trait and professional skill set to teach and assess; as a result it is often a neglected component of health science curriculum. This project has two aims: i) to develop a toolkit that includes a range of interprofessional empathy DVD simulations and workshop resources, and ii) to evaluate the toolkit through exploring empathic behaviours and interprofessional levels pre- and post-involvement in a DVD simulation workshop. The nature of the project will allow for comparisons and differences between the health disciplines and institutions. The findings will inform curriculum development in each of the disciplines, as well as facilitate the development of empathic behaviours and interprofessional collaboration in the health sciences students. In addition the toolkit will be available to other universities to embed in their curriculum.