Exploring medical leader identity and its formation

Abstract

Purpose “Becoming” a doctor involves the acquisition of medical knowledge, skills and professional identity. Medical professional identity formation (MPIF) is complex, multi-factorial and closely linked to societal expectations, personal and social identity. Increasingly, doctors are required to engage in leadership/management involving significant identity shift. This paper aims to explore medical professional identity (MPI) and MPIF in relation to doctors as leaders. Selected identity theories are used to enrich the understanding of challenges facing doctors in leadership situations and two concepts are introduced: medical leader identity (MLI) and medical leader identity formation (MLIF) and consideration given to how they can be nurtured within medical practice. Design/methodology/approach A rapid conceptual review of relevant literature was carried out to identify a set of relevant concepts and theories that could be used to develop a new conceptual framework for MLI and MLIF. Findings MLIF is crucial for doctors to develop as medical leaders, and, like MPIF, the process begins before medical school with both identities influenced, shaped and challenged throughout doctors’ careers. Individuals require support in developing awareness that their identities are multiple, nested, interconnected and change over time. Originality/value This paper draws on concepts from wider literature on professional identity, in relation to how doctors might develop their MLI alongside their MPI. It offers a new perspective on MPI in the light of calls on doctors to “become and be healthcare leaders” and introduces the new concepts of MLI and MLIF.

Professional identity research in the health professions—a scoping review

“…Professional identity impacts the workforce at personal, interpersonal and profession levels, yet our understanding of this phenomenon is still developing. In the health professions, literature reviews of professional identity involve single professions, are focussed on students or involve multidisciplinary teams and do not address the range of health professions or their specific issues post registration (Best & Williams, 2019 ; Jebril, 2008 ; Maile et al, 2019 ; Sarraf-Yazdi et al, 2021 ; Snell et al, 2020 ; Volpe et al, 2019 ; Woods et al, 2016 ; Wyatt et al, 2021a ). There has been no synthesis of professional identity research for practising health professionals or attempts to use the different theoretical perspectives described in the literature to deepen our understanding of professional identity and its impact on the health workforce.…”

Pacific perspectives on Health Professions Education leadership – An interpretivist case study

“…Focusing on the next level, production, that is getting results from others through influence and credibility, all styles of HPE leaders were respected consultants in their field and were able to influence students, faculty, and institution. Indeed, evidence suggests that to be a respected HPE leader it is necessary to first have a reputation as an excellent clinician or researcher as being a good educator is often perceived as less esteemed (Maile et al, 2019;Sundberg et al, 2015). Did this hamper their progression to the fourth level, reproduction?…”

Do professionalism, leadership, and resilience combine for professional identity formation? Evidence from confirmatory factor analysis

“…The concept of PIF is complex, multi-factorial, and has been identified to have multiple domains ( 11 , 25 ). There has been some valid debate in the literature about the difficulty of objectively assessing PIF due to it being a private individual experience ( 26 ), however, it has been suggested that if PIF is to be a significant educational objective, robust assessment or markers of its development should be established ( 23 , 27 ).…”