The current state of defensive medicine and its association with empathy: a cross-sectional study among graduate students in Guangxi, China.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Defensive medicine arises partly from strained physician-patient relationships and concerns related to medico-legal issues. While most existing research has focused on practicing physicians, relatively little is known about defensive medicine among master's students. This group is at a critical transitional stage from student to physician, making it essential to understand their behaviors and attitudes. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the prevalence of defensive medical practices among clinical master's students and to explore their association with empathy, with the ultimate goal of informing medical education and training for future physicians.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among first- to third- year master's students enrolled between Ju

SUBMITTER: Chen Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12797842 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature