Introduction:

The study of the relationship between psychological well-being and empathy in medical residents has been little explored in México.

Objective:

To identify the relationship between psychological well-being and empathy with patients, in medical residents of a public university in Mexico.

Method:

Descriptive and cross-sectional study. The Ryff Psychological Well-being Scale (PWS) and the Jefferson Medical Scale of Empathy (JSE) were applied to 139 residents from the first to the fourth year of varied specialties.

Results:

A significant and positive correlation was found between the PWS and the JSE (r = .460; p <.001).

Conclusions:

Psychological well-being and empathy are closely related, so promoting actions that favor mental health in residents during the course by the specialty, will influence empathy with patients. It is urgent to do more research that, like this one, links to both variables.