INTRODUCTION – Empathy enables people to understand other people`s feelings as people often say „putting them in other people`s shoes“. Also, adequate communication and response to the suffering of patients are part of the larger task of building a therapeutic relationship. Nowdays, patinets are placed in the center of the therapeutic relationship and empathy is the foundation of that relationship. An empathic approach is achieved by engaging in communication, learning, but also by the harmony of private life of the health care pofessional. Medical staff should not expirience what patient feels, not to impose their opinions, but to understand his thoughts and feelings, without condemnation and try to put own thoughts aside and look at people`s diversity and approach them. The aim of this study was to determine level of emapthy among nursing and physiotheraphy students and healthcare professionals. RESPONDENTS AND METHODS – The study involved 361 healthcare professionals and physiotherapy and nursing students from Croatia. They completed an online demographic questionnaire and „Toronto Emapthy Questionnaire“ for the self assesment of the empathy that was translated to croatian. RESULTS – Statistical data processing did not find a statistically significant difference in the level of empathy between students and healthcare professionals (p=0,253). A statistically significant difference in the level of empathy was found between male and female respondents (p=0,045). No statistically significant difference in the level of empathy was found between respondents employed in the pediatrics department and respondents employed in other departments (p=0,349). DISSCUSION - Empathy is a key to a quality relationship between healthcare professionals and patients. Although there was no statistically significant difference in the level of empathy between healthcare professionals and students of health studies nor between health workers employed in pediatric and other hospital departments. Statistically significant difference was confirmed between female and male respondents.