Non-cognitive Skills in Medical Students: Insights into Empathy, Communication Skills, and Grit

Abstract Background: Achievement in academic and professional contexts is influenced by non-cognitive skills, particularly in the medical field. Despite their significance, research on non-cognitive skills among medical students in Pakistan is limited. Objective: This study aimed to assess the non-cognitive skills of grit, empathy, and communication skills among medical students at a public university in Lahore, Pakistan, and to examine their association with gender. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 100 MBBS students from a public university in Lahore using a non-probability convenience sampling technique. Participants included first- to final-year students enrolled in 2024. Students who did not provide consent or failed to complete the questionnaire were excluded. The means and standard deviations were calculated for empathy, communication skills, and grit. Frequency and percentages were used to describe qualitative variables, such as demographic characteristics. Independent t-tests were applied to assess associations between gender and non-cognitive skills, with a significance level set at p<0.05. Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to determine the strength and direction of relationships among the non-cognitive skills, with p<0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: The study included 50 male and 50 female participants. The mean empathy score was 48.54 ± 6.67 for females and 47.62 ± 5.50 for males, with no statistically significant difference (p=0.454). Grit scores indicated that 43% of participants demonstrated an average level of grit, with no significant gender difference (p=0.896). Similarly, no significant association was found between gender and communication skills (p=0.392 for positive attitudes, p=0.843 for negative attitudes). Pearson correlation analysis revealed a weak but significant positive correlation between empathy and positive attitudes in communication skills (p=0.025). Additionally, a positive correlation was observed between positive and negative attitudes in communication skills (p<0.01), while no significant correlations were found among the other non-cognitive skills. Conclusion: Medical students demonstrated average levels of grit, empathy, and communication skills, with no significant gender differences. Given the critical role of these skills in medical practice, targeted interventions are necessary to enhance them. Strategies such as structured soft-skills training, awareness campaigns, and the implementation of Project P21 for skill development are recommended to improve the current situation.