Emotional Intelligence: A Comparison between Medical and Non-Medical Students

Background: Emotional intelligence (EI) has recently been considered as one of the necessary elements for success and achievement in medical fields. The present study was conducted in Iran to compare the EI in medical and non-medical students adjusted for the other relevant factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2011 to January 2012 on 872 students of medicine, paramedical and non-medical groups in Tehran University and Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran selected by multi-stage weighted cluster sampling. The Farsi version of revised Schutte Emotional Intelligence (FEIS) was used to estimate emotional intelligence. Results: The mean of total EI was equal to 124.9 (SD=8.4) out of 205 and the means for its dimensions were as follows: regulation of emotions 39.3 (SD=5.1), utilization of emotions 26.7 (SD=3.6) and appraisal of emotions 33.5 (SD=5.3). While the paramedical and non-medical students' total EI score was significantly higher than the medical students', in the utilization of emotions dimension, the medical students scored significantly higher than the other two groups. Conclusions: The lower levels of the medical students' total EI score in comparison with paramedical and non-medical students in this study demands the relevant authorities to pay even more attention to the selection and training of medical students.