Objectives To evaluate the effect of the Balint group on improving the empathy and doctor-patient communication skills among medical students in clinical practice

and provide a new way to improve the doctor-patient communication skills in medical students. Methods We investigated 500 clinical medical students in fourth grade by JSE-HP and SEGUE framework scale in Shanghai Jiao Tong university school of medicine between July 2016 and December 2016. 60 students with insufficient empathy and doctor-patient communication skills were selected randomly. These students were than randomly divided into the Balint group (experimental group) and the routine clinical practice group (control group). The experimental group participate the Balint group activities in addition to routine clinical practice

the control group only participated in routine clinical practice. After 20 weeks of the Balint group intervention

the two groups were invited to assess the empathy and doctor-patient communication skills again to analyze the effect of the Balint group on improving the empathy and doctor-patient communication ability among intern students. Results There were no significant difference in age

sex

whether only child or class leader and previous year theoretical exam scores between the two groups (all P>0.05). For empathy

there was no significant difference in terms of opinion

emotional care

empathy

and total score before the routine clinical practice between the two groups (P> 0.05) and they all improved significantly after the routine clinical practice (all P <0.05). But the experimental group had higher scores in all above scales than the control group (all P <0.05). For communication skills with patients

there were no significant differences between the two groups in communication initiation

information collection

understanding of patients

information giving

end questioning

and SEGUE scores before the routine clinical practice (all P> 0.05)

and they all improved significantly in all above 5 scales after the routine clinical practice (all P <0.05). While except for understanding of patients

the experimental group had higher gains in other scales than the control group (all P <0.05). Conclusion Use of the Barring group activities on the basis of routine clinical practice can improve the empathy and the doctor-patient communication skills in medical students.