Exploring medical students' professional identity formation through written reflections during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract

Background: Disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic have forced medical schools around the world to adapt. Major changes in curriculum delivery during the pandemic have impacted medical students’ professional development. We assess undergraduate medical students’ adaptations and Professional Identity Formation (PIF) by exploring their written reflections.Methods: This phenomenology study analyzes undergraduate medical students’ written reflections. We perform a thematic analysis to identify emerging themes.Results: We purposively selected 80 written reflections, considering the students’ year of study, gender, GPA, and education stage (preclinical or clinical). Three themes emerged: students’ adaptation processes and coping strategies in facing the pandemic; their adaptation processes for learning; and their perceived roles as medical students during the pandemic.Conclusions: Adaptive coping mechanisms were implemented by the medical students in this study. The socialization processes that promote professional identity formation may change due to the tremendous disruption wrought by the pandemic; this has prompted our investigation of students’ roles and various ways of interacting with role models. We highlight the importance of the medical school supporting students’ adaptations and professional identity formation during this pandemic.Significance for public healthThe COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruptions for nearly everyone; this includes medical students affected by major changes to medical school curricula. The development of professionalism and Professional Identity Formation (PIF) among students is a critical aspect of undergraduate medical curriculum; it significantly impacts students’ future careers as patient care providers. By identifying students’ adaptation processes in facing the crisis, medical schools can provide appropriate support for students in their PIF. Students’ contributions to preventing COVID-19 transmission in their own environment and the wider community, through their active engagement (such as via social media), is an essential PIF process for both preclinical and clinical students.