Emotional intelligence in first year medical students and its correlates: a study conducted at a faculty of medicine in Sri Lanka

Background: Emotional Intelligence (EI) is an important attribute to possess in the practice of medicine, which requires skills such as the ability to adapt to clinical situations appropriately and have favourable interpersonal relations, which in turn may have an effect on the outcome of the patient. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to determine the EI levels of first year medical undergraduates of a selected faculty of medicine in Sri Lanka and to determine whether there is a significant correlation between EI and gender, academic ability, number of siblings, self-motivation to study medicine, perceived levels of family support, socialization and religiosity. Methods: The Genos Emotional Intelligence Assessment Concise Questionnaire, translated to Sinhala, was administered to a cohort of 194 first year medical students. This questionnaire included a supplementary section with personal details and questions on self- motivation to study medicine, perceived level of socialization, religiosity, family support and the Z score at the advance level examination. Data was analysed using SPSS version 22.0. Results and conclusions: The levels of EI of new entrant medical students admitted to a Faculty of Medicine in Sri Lanka was established using the validated Sinhala translation of the Genos Emotional Intelligence Assessment Concise Questionnaire. EI was positively co-related with self- motivation to study medicine, perceived level of socialization and religiosity. There was no significant difference in total EI scores between males and females. Perceived level of family support, number of siblings and academic ability did not correlate significantly with EI.