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The Softer Side of Practicing Medicine BY JONELLE TODD A GROWING BODY OF RESE ARCH SHOWS CLINICIANS WITH A HIGH LE VEL OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE NOT ONLY PROVIDE A BENEFIT TO THEIR PATIENTS, THE Y ALSO HELP PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM THE STRESSES OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSION. EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE (EI) is the ability to recognize a nd empathize with the emotions of others, a nd to use that awa reness t o com mu n icat e, resolve con f l ic t s a nd m a na ge relat ion sh ips ef fe c t ively. I n gener a l , p e ople w it h h i g h EI h ave a t endenc y t o be more resi lient , a re bet ter able to cope w it h stress a nd ma na ge relationships w it h ot hers more ef fectively. A compi lation of ev idence sug gests t hat EI i s more t ha n a desi ra ble but u lt i m a t e ly none s s ent i a l qu a l it y i n phy sici a n s; rat her, EI sk i l l s appea r t o h av e a d i r e c t i mp a c t on p a t ient o u t c o m e s . T h e s e s k i l l s a l s o h e l p i nc r e a s e phy s ici a n we l l-b ei n g a nd protect a ga inst bur nout . A nd despite popu la r misconceptions, EI ski l ls ca n be lea r ned. TEACHING EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE A s t u d y b y L o y o l a U n i v e r s i t y Medica l Center researchers Ramzan Sha hid, MD, Jerold Stirling, MD, and Wi l l i a m A d a m s , M A , publ i s hed i n Advances in Medical Education and Practice, examined the effects of EI train- ing when integrated into the educational curriculum for resident physicians. The residents pa r ticipating in the Loyola study completed t he Ba r- On Emotional Quotient Inventory 2.0 survey, a 133-item EI assessment, before and after receiving EI training. Educational i nt er v ent ion s i nc lude d c l a s s r o om i n s t r uc t ion , v ideos a nd work shops focu sed on sel f-awa renes s of emo - tions, the ability to manage emotional reactions, ability to pick up on the emo- tions of others and socia l skills. After completing the training, student scores for overa ll EI and stress management skills increased significantly. BUFFERING AGAINST BURNOUT The Loyola study also aimed to determine whether educational intervention would increase the overall EI levels — specifi- cally, stress management and wellness scores — among residents. The research- ers concluded that as a group, the residents experienced a significant increase in tota l EI scores, leading the research- ers to theorize that teaching EI skills may improve stress management skills, promote wellness and prevent burnout in resident physicians. The value of EI education in preventing burnout also extends to healthcare orga- nization leaders. In the article "Targeting Physician Burnout Through Emotional Intel ligence, Self- Ca re Techniques, a nd L ea der s h ip Sk i l l s T r a i n i n g : A Qualitative Study," published in Mayo 1 4