Assessment of emotional intelligence among medical students in Hyderabad: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Emotional intelligence (EI) refers to the ability to recognize, understand, manage, and use emotions effectively in oneself and others. In the context of medical education, EI is increasingly recognized as a core competency alongside clinical knowledge and technical skills. It is integral to the formation of compassionate, adaptable, and competent healthcare professionals. In this framework, EI is conceptualized not solely as a personality attribute but as a modifiable and teachable construct that facilitates the acquisition of core competencies such as professionalism, effective interpersonal communication, and patient-centred care.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted for a period of one month among 301 undergraduate medical students at ESIC Medical College and Hospital using a semi structured validated questionnaire containing socio-demographic details and questions on EI test. The questionnaire was administered to the students through Google form. The questionnaire consists of two parts: sociodemographic details and the Schutte self-report EI test (SSEIT). Data was entered in Microsoft excel. Descriptive statistics and Inferential statistics were applied using SPSS version 21. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results The mean age of the participants was 20.10±1.70. Out of 301 medical students participated in the research, 123 (40.9%) were males and 178 were females (59.10%). The 52.2% of participants had good EI score, 46.2% had average EI score, 1.6% had poor EI.

Conclusions: Strengthening EI among medical students is not merely an added advantage but a fundamental necessity for effective medical practice and improved patient outcomes.