Publication:

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

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.