Explaining the Role of Experiences in Shaping the Professional Identity of Medical Residents of Tehran University Medical Sciences

Abstract

Background: The important central theme in the career is one’s professional self-concept based on attributes, beliefs, values, motives, and experiences regarding the professional identity. Recently, there has been a growing interest in how a physician's professional identity is shaped by education and experience. Objectives: This study aimed to illuminate the role of experience in shaping the professional identity of Tehran University of Medical Sciences medical residents. Methods: Eighteen 26 - 40 years old residents (male and female) in four Major specialty groups, including obstetrics and gynecology, surgery, and internal medicine, participated in this qualitative content analysis study. Sampling was done in four specialty hospitals of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Data were gathered through semi-structured in-depth interviews and analyzed by conventional content analysis. Results: Results showed four main categories of effective experiences in Shaping of residents' professional identity formation, including interpersonal communication experiences, independent professional work, general medical education course, knowledge, and educational background.in this study also, sub-categories extracted from the findings were: (1) Forced scheme; (2) symbolic events; (3) learnt competencies of GP; (4) beneficial reforms and integration in general medical education; (5) the education quality level among families; and (6) the education quality level among schools and institutes. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that the previous unique constructive experiences of assistants are one of the most important underlying factors in shaping their professional identity. Interpersonal communication experiences, independent professional work, general medicine training courses, and knowledge and educational background are the unique experiences of any assistant. By creating constructive experiences, it is possible to positively affect the formation of the professional identity of the assistants so that they can be accountable to society.