A Cohort Study on the Impact of Narrative Medicine Writing on the Empathy Ability and Job Burnout of Oncology Standardized Training Trainees

Abstract

Objective: To explore the impact of narrative medicine writing intervention on the empathy ability and job burnout of residents undergoing standardized training in oncology (referred to as “standardized training”), and to provide empirical evidence for optimizing the standardized training system in oncology. Methods: A total of 70 trainees who received standardized training in the oncology department of our hospital from January 2024 to June 2025 were selected as the study subjects. They were divided into an observation group and a control group with 35 cases each according to the random number table method. The control group received routine standardized training in oncology, while the observation group received additional narrative medicine writing training on the basis of routine standardized training. Baseline data of the two groups were statistically analyzed, and the empathy ability and job burnout levels of the trainees in both groups were evaluated before the intervention (January 2024) and after the intervention (June 2025), respectively. Results: Before the intervention, there were no statistically significant differences in demographic characteristics such as gender, age, educational background, and rotation duration between the two groups of trainees (all P > 0.05). After the intervention, the total score and scores in each dimension of the JSE-HP in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group, and the scores in the observation group after the intervention were significantly higher than those before the intervention (all P < 0.001). After the intervention, the scores in the dimensions of emotional exhaustion and cynicism in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group, while the score in the dimension of reduced professional efficacy was significantly higher than that in the control group. Moreover, in the observation group, the scores in emotional exhaustion and cynicism decreased significantly after the intervention, and the score in reduced professional efficacy increased significantly (all P < 0.001). After the intervention, the total score of the JSE-HP in the observation group showed a significant negative correlation with the emotional exhaustion dimension of the MBI-GS (r = -0.664, P < 0.001), a significant negative correlation with the cynicism dimension (r = -0.571, P < 0.001), and a significant positive correlation with the reduced professional efficacy dimension (r = 0.425, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Narrative medicine writing can effectively enhance the empathy ability of trainees in standardized training programs for oncology and reduce their level of job burnout, making it worthy of promotion and application in the standardized training system for oncology.