This episode is all about empathy in healthcare.  We know patients tend to prefer being looked after by health professionals with empathy – in simple terms the ability to put themselves in someone else’s shoes. But it’s not just a “nice to have”;  there’s growing evidence for example, that empathy is also linked to better diagnostic and clinical outcomes. So what is the latest evidence about empathy in healthcare? Can anyone learn to be empathic – and if so, how can medical educators help? Are empathic health professionals more – or less -  likely to burnout? Guest: Dr Andy Ward,  academic GP and Associate Professor in Medical Education at Leicester Medical School. Senior member of the newly launched Stoneygate Centre for Empathic Healthcare