Authenticity made visible in medical students' experiences of feeling like a doctor.

Angelica Fredholm,Katri Manninen,Hans Hjelmqvist,Charlotte Silén

doi:10.5116/ijme.5cf7.d60c

Abstract

ObjectivesTo interpret the phenomenon of authenticity made visible in medical students’ experiences of feeling like a doctor, i.e., how authenticity took shape in narratives about feeling like a doctor in clinical situations where students were challenged to be independent and to a high degree make choices and clinical decisions.MethodsThe conducted research was positioned within phenomenological hermeneutic research tradition, interpreting participants’ experiences in a life-world perspective using narrative inquiry. Fifteen medical students in their fifth year were interviewed focusing on clinical situations. An abductive analysis approach was used to discover patterns and to interpret data following a phenomenological hermeneutic research method for textual interpretation. ResultsThe analysis resulted in a thematic structure of findings: Opportunity to experience authenticity through creating relationships; Opportunity to experience authenticity through responsibility; Opportunity to experience authenticity through independence, managing wholeness, and follow-up processes; Opportunity to experience authenticity through being able to reason and discern. Overarching the four themes was the perceived need for attachment, i.e. attachment to patients, to supervisors, to the workplace, to the situation and reasoning and knowledge. ConclusionsEssential for the experience of feeling like a doctor was authentic situations that resulted in the experienced members of a community of practice and the perceived development of a professional identity. These findings can advance the understanding of how clinical education should be organized to facilitate professional identity development.

Highlights

Studies in education show a connection between authenticity, autonomy in learning, and professional development
Essential for the experience of feeling like a doctor was authentic situations that resulted in the experienced members of a community of practice and the perceived development of a professional identity
These findings can advance the understanding of how clinical education should be organized to facilitate professional identity development

Summary

Introduction

Studies in education show a connection between authenticity, autonomy in learning, and professional development. For the planning and execution of clinical education for medical students, it is important to understand medical studentsprofessional development and what makes them start to take on an identity as a doctor. An understanding of how authenticity impacts on students’ learning and professional development is important for the future development of learning and teaching strategies in medical education. Experiencing meaning and relevance is seen as vital for learning.[1] Studies in a clinical setting showed authenticity as an indirect driving force for learning by creating meaning and relevance.[2,3,4] In these studies, meaning, and relevance appeared when students’ actions and decisions had a real, actual impact on, and consequence for, patients’ care and wellbeing.

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