Table 2.

Empathy grade descriptors

5	Excellent Empathy skills. The candidate tunes consistently well to the patients perspectives, knowledge and concerns and develops a good rapport.
4	Good empathy skills. The candidate develops good rapport, but does not always respond to the patient’s questions or concerns or explain things in appropriate emotional tone or language.
3	Some empathy skills in evidence, the candidate appears to understand the patient’s perspective at some points but less at other points.
2	Some empathy in evidence at times, but largely misses what the patient’s needs are, and their concerns, regularly uses inappropriate emotional tone or language.
1	Poor empathy. There is little attempt to understand the patients needs, factual information is delivered without sensitivity. Consistently uses inappropriate emotional tone or language.