Cultivating Compassion in Medical Students Through Films: A Student Feedback Study

Abstract

Background: The National Medical Commission places Attitude, Ethics and Communication (AETCOM) at the core of MBBS training. Yet under crowded timetables, empathy and communication can remain abstract. We explored whether a compact, film-based classroom session (“cinemeducation”) could translate these aims into concrete, patient-centred behaviours.
Aim: To measure and promote empathy among MBBS students by integrating a one-hour cinemeducation intervention within an AETCOM slot.
Methods: Cross-sectional, interventional classroom study during a scheduled AETCOM session at Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, SRHU, Dehradun (India). Second-year MBBS students (n=145) viewed three short scenes from The Doctor (1991). Each scene was paired with a focused prompt and a brisk, guided debrief oriented to “one thing you can do tomorrow.” Anonymous end-of-class reflections were summarised via light-touch word-frequency signals; a 4-item feedback form captured acceptability and perceived learning.
Results: Scene-wise discourse showed a clear progression from constraints (e.g., time pressure, burnout) to technique (e.g., warn → name → pause & check; allow silence; invite questions; ensure informed consent) and then to commitments (e.g., warm greeting, using names, eye-level seating, brief emotional check-ins, closing instruction loops). Post-session feedback indicated high acceptability and perceived value: enjoyable/very enjoyable 94%; prefer films for empathy/communication learning 89%; strongly recommend continuing such sessions 92%; reported enhanced understanding of empathy 88%.
Conclusion: A single AETCOM hour built on a scene → prompt → debrief spine is feasible, low-cost, and well-received, and it appears to nudge learners from problem-spotting toward actionable, ethically grounded communication. This approach aligns with NMC’s AETCOM intent and merits wider implementation and rigorous follow-up (e.g., delayed reflections, observer-rated behaviours, multi-site studies).