Emotional Intelligence andAcademic Performance of Medical Students

Emotional Intelligence has been a trending skill since its inception in 1990. The personal and professional benefits of EI have been researched across multiple professions and the medical field was not an exception. Educators had long agreed that EI is an essential skill that could enhance the academic performance and well-being of students. In the medical profession, EI is said to be associated with patient satisfaction, doctor-patient relationships and empathy. Given the importance of EI, it would be interesting to examine the association between EI and the academic achievement of medical students. The findings from previous studies that examined there two variables were contradictory and hence this study attempts to analyze the relationship between the EI skills and academic performance of undergraduate medical students. A sample of 133 students from a medical college in South India were considered for the study. EI was measured using a situational judgment test and academic scores were retrieved from the medical school records. The study found that the EI skill possessed by medical students and their academic performance are positively associated and derives important implications for researchers, academia and the health care industry.