Evidence-based poetry: using poetic representation of phenomenological research to create an educational tool for enhancing empathy in medical trainees in the management of depression

摘要

Current medical education provides insufficient training in clinical empathy, which is important when caring for mentally ill patients Reading and discussing poetry are promising methods for developing clinical empathy. This qualitative study aims to improve empathy in medical students and practitioners towards patients with depression, by creating poetry as a medical education intervention. Five patients with depression shared their lived experience of depression in focus groups. For each of the nine major symptoms of depression, three types of poems were created: found poems using poetic condensation of phenomenological data, thematic poems based on thematic analysis, and freestyle poems. Participants with depression evaluated the poems. 26 out of 30 poems were felt to capture the lived experience of depression, and all three types of poetry were effective. Incidentally, themes of stigmatization and lack of empathy also emerged. Further directions include publishing and studying whether these poems improve empathy in medical trainees.