Self-perceived soft skills in Spanish healthcare university students: Implications for curricular development

Abstract

Background: Soft skills are essential for effective practice in healthcare professions but are often underrepresented in university curricula. Limited evidence exists regarding Spanish health science students’ perceptions and educational needs in this domain. Objective: To assess self-perceived soft skills and identify associated educational gaps among Spanish healthcare undergraduates. Material and methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using a custom Likert-scale questionnaire among 134 students from various health science degrees. Descriptive statistics and nonparametric group comparisons (Kruskal–Wallis test) were performed. Results: Most participants expressed strong agreement with their choice of profession and recognized the relevance of clinical roles. However, moderate self-assessment was reported for leadership (median = 4) and public speaking skills (median = 3). Increased stress was attributed to university demands and placements, with 41.8% rating stress as moderate and significant differences evident by academic year (p = 0.026 for professional qualification; p = 0.048 for stress during placements). Conclusions: Spanish healthcare undergraduates value soft skills yet report moderate proficiency in leadership, communication, and stress management. Further research is required to be able to make claims and recommendations on this content.