1. Correlation between EI and PE Introduction Method EI and age correlated positively, r(51) = +.41, p =.003. Students above age 33 had EI scores well above average. PE was not significantly related to age.  Branch 4 EI (Ability to Manage Emotions) was significantly positively correlated with PE.  Consistent with past research, female medical students scored higher on EI than males. Females did not score higher than males on PE.  Scores on total EI were higher for medical students over age 33. Some studies suggest EI may increase with age (4). However, age related differences in EI in our sample may be due to self selection; perhaps older adults low in EI are less likely to apply to medical school.  Scores on Branch 3 EI (Understanding Emotions) correlated positively with Verbal MCAT scores while scores on Branch 4 EI and on PE correlated negatively with Physics MCAT scores.  Applicants with high Verbal and low Physics MCAT scores may tend to be higher in EI and PE. However, recommendations about changes in admissions criteria would be premature.  The next phase of analyses will examine communication skills in interviews with trained simulated patients in relation to EI and PE and the relationship between admissions statements of personal goals and EI and PE.  If EI and PE predict actual interview skills, information about these may be useful in evaluation of medical school applicants. EI Branch 3 correlated positively with Verbal MCAT scores, r(54) =.43, p =.001. EI Branch 4 and PE each correlated negatively with Physics MCATs, r(54) = -.34, p =.011 and r(54) = -.26, p =.049. No other correlations between MCAT scores and EI or PE were significant. ResultsDiscussion Acknowledgements: 1) Brackett, M. A., & Mayer, J. D. (2003). Convergent, discriminant, and incremental validity of competing measures of emotional intelligence. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 29, 1147-1158. 2) Mayer J. D., Salovey, P., Caruso, D. R., & Sitarenios, G. (2003). Measuring emotional intelligence with the MSCEIT V2.0. Emotion, 3, 97-105. 3) Hojat, M., Mangione, S., Nasca, T. J., Cohen, M. J. M., Gonnella, J. S., Erdmann, J. B., Veloski, J., & Magee, M. (2001). The Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy: Development and preliminary psychometric data. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 61, 349-365. 4) Emotional Intelligence (EQ) Gets Better with Age. Retrieved April 4, 2007: www.mhs.com/ROE/EIGetsBetterWithAge.aspx References Contact Information: Rebecca Warner, Department of Psychology, University of New Hampshire, Durham NH 03824. Grant from UNH Presidential Excellence Research Award program; assistance from Mildred Savidge and the Department of Family Medicine, College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of New England, ME. The present study addressed these questions: Sixty first year medical students agreed to participate; we obtained demographics, access to MCAT scores, and scores for EI and PE. Measurement of Emotional Intelligence The MSCEIT is an ability test of EI that yields a score for total EI and each of four branches of EI (1, 2). Because it is an ability test, responses are evaluated based on degree of agreement with responses identified by expert judges. The Jefferson Physician Empathy Scale is a 20 item self report measure of physician empathy (3). A typical item is as follows: “A physician who is able to view things from another person’s perspective can render better care”; respondents are asked to rate their degree of agreement with each statement. PE assesses attitudes toward the importance of physician empathy in health care. Measurement of Physician Empathy The quality of communication in patient-practitioner interviews is important; it influences patient satisfaction, compliance with medical regimens, and medical outcomes. Therefore, effective communication is an important skill for students in health professions such as medicine and occupational therapy. Are EI and PE correlated? Are EI and PE related to gender and age? Are EI and PE correlated with MCAT scores? Total EI was not significantly positively correlated with PE, r(55) = +.26, p =.052. However, Branch 4 EI (Managing Emotions) was correlated with PE, r(55) = +.52, p <.001. Female medical students scored significantly on EI than the male students, t(54) = -2.61, p =.012,  2 =.11; for females M = 104.1, for males, M = 96.3. Mean EI for females was almost 8 points, or.7 standard deviations, higher than for males. There was no significant gender difference in PE scores. EI and Age University of New Hampshire, Durham NH Dr. Rebecca Warner Department of Psychology Dr. Kerryellen Vroman Department of Occupational Therapy Emotional Intelligence and Physician Empathy Gender, EI and PE EI, PE and MCATs ? ? ? Age 6050403020 EI Total 130 120 110 100 90 80 70 FemaleMale EI Total 130 120 110 100 90 80 70 Branch 1: Perceiving Emotion Branch 2: Use of Emotion to Facilitate Thought Branch 3: Understanding Emotions Branch 4: Managing Emotion Most assessments of medical school applicants are measures of academic ability (such as the MCAT verbal, physics, and biology scores). It is not clear whether these academic skills predict communication skills in medical interviews. Two variables that may predict communication quality in medical interviews are Emotional Intelligence (EI) and Physician Empathy (PE). Raoul Hausmann, Spirit of Our Time, National Musuem of Modern Art, Paris rmw@unh.edu