Abstract
BackgroundFostering personal identity formation and professional development among undergraduate medical students is challenging. Based on situated learning, experiential learning and role-modelling frameworks, a six-week course was developed to remediate lapses in professionalism among undergraduate medical students. This study aims to explore the students’ perceptions of their personal identity formation and professional development following completion of the course.MethodsThis qualitative study, adopting a phenomenological design, uses the participants’ reflective diaries as primary data sources. In the pilot course, field work, role-model shadowing and discussions with resource personnel were conducted. A total of 14 students were asked to provide written self-reflections. Consistent, multi-source feedback was provided throughout the course. A thematic analysis was conducted to identify the key processes of personal and professional development among the students during remediation.ResultsThree main themes were revealed. First, students highlighted the strength of small group activities in helping them ‘internalise the essential concepts’. Second, the role-model shadowing supported their understanding of ‘what kind of medical doctors they would become’. Third, the field work allowed them to identify ‘what the “noble values” are and how to implement them in daily practice’.ConclusionBy implementing multimodal activities, the course has high potential in supporting personal identity formation and professional development among undergraduate pre-clinical medical students, as well as remediating their lapses in professionalism. However, there are challenges in implementing the model among a larger student population and in documenting the long-term impact of the course.
Highlights
Fostering personal identity formation and professional development among undergraduate medical students is challenging
Irby et al argued that professionalism should be considered as a set of ethical values and attributes, a set of behaviours or a method for personal identity formation; these three views are based on different constructs that can deepen one’s understanding of professionalism [5]
Given the dynamic development of professionalism and the need to explore various contextual factors, including generational and cultural characteristics, the present study aims to explore students’ perceptions of their personal identity formation and professional development after completing a remediation course in a medical school in Indonesia
Summary
Fostering personal identity formation and professional development among undergraduate medical students is challenging. Irby et al argued that professionalism should be considered as a set of ethical values and attributes (virtue-based professionalism), a set of behaviours (behaviour-based professionalism) or a method for personal identity formation; these three views are based on different constructs that can deepen one’s understanding of professionalism [5] In addition to these definitions, medical professionalism is a dynamic construct that requires practitioners to picture themselves providing excellent, ethical and altruistic patient care and satisfying the expectations of those outside the profession [1]. Various curriculum designs and teaching/learning methods have been suggested to foster the personal and professional development of medical students [5] Such efforts should aim at both preventing students from developing unprofessional behaviours as well as remediating lapses in professionalism [8]. When lapses in professionalism occur, students need to undergo remediation rather than be punished [9]
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