As seen in previous studies of medical students, junior doctor patient-centred attitudes declined during their first year of residency.

There is a clear gender gap.  Female residents were generally more inclined to a patient-centred attitude. The difference by gender was more evident for the caring component than the sharing component.

Male residents became less patient-centred in terms of caring attitude after 1 year, while female residents showed little decline.

A previous meta-analysis indicated that female physicians are more likely to address psychosocial issues, use emotional talk and positive talk, and more actively incorporate patient input.  All of this could be considered patient centred.

Role models tend to be same gender, which perhaps explains why male doctors tend to learn patriarchal styles.

Interestingly, physicians’ confidence in communicating with patients increases more in those who showed a smaller decline in patient-centred attitude.

[BMC Med Educ. 2018; 18: 20.         doi:  10.1186/s12909-018-1129-y]

See also Family centred ward rounds.