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Cited by 1,038Innovations in Medical EducationEmpathy and Medical EducationDiversity and Career in Medicine

A Schematic Representation of the Professional Identity Formation and Socialization of Medical Students and Residents: A Guide for Medical Educators

Cruess, Richard L., Cruess, Sylvia R., Boudreau, J. Donald, Snell, Linda, Steinert, Yvonne·2015·Academic Medicine
DOI 10.1097/acm.0000000000000700
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Abstract

Recent calls to focus on identity formation in medicine propose that educators establish as a goal of medical education the support and guidance of students and residents as they develop their professional identity. Those entering medical school arrive with a personal identity formed since birth. As they proceed through the educational continuum, they successively develop the identity of a medical student, a resident, and a physician. Each individual's journey from layperson to skilled professional is unique and is affected by "who they are" at the beginning and "who they wish to become."Identity formation is a dynamic process achieved through socialization; it results in individuals joining the medical community of practice. Multiple factors within and outside of the educational system affect the formation of an individual's professional identity. Each learner reacts to different factors in her or his own fashion, with the anticipated outcome being the emergence of a professional identity. However, the inherent logic in the related processes of professional identity formation and socialization may be obscured by their complexity and the large number of factors involved.Drawing on the identity formation and socialization literature, as well as experience gained in teaching professionalism, the authors developed schematic representations of these processes. They adapted them to the medical context to guide educators as they initiate educational interventions, which aim to explicitly support professional identity formation and the ultimate goal of medical education-to ensure that medical students and residents come to "think, act, and feel like a physician."

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  • According to Cruess et al, students may develop identity dissonance when components of their identity as physicians conflict with their identity as laypersons.

    “According to Cruess et al [130], students may develop “identity dissonance” when components of their identity as physicians conflict with their identity as laypersons.”

    From Dangers and Benefits of Social Media on E-Professionalism of Health Care Professionals: Scoping Review (2021) · cites this paper as [130]

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Authors
Cruess, R. L., Cruess, S. R., Boudreau, J. D., Snell, L., & Steinert, Y.
Affiliations
McGill University (CA)
Corresponding author
  • Cruess, Richard L.
  • Cruess, Sylvia R.
ORCID
Venue
Academic Medicine
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
2015-06
Volume
90
Issue
6
Pages
718-725
ISSN
1040-2446 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1097/acm.0000000000000700
OpenAlex
W1997378480
Cited by
1,038
References
62
Citations by year
2026: 197 · 2025: 99 · 2024: 121 · 2023: 118 · 2022: 120 · 2021: 96 · 2020: 84 · 2019: 62 · 2018: 64 · 2017: 31 · 2016: 39 · 2015: 7
FWCI
50.29
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Academic Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Innovations in Medical Education
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Empathy and Medical Education
  • Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Diversity and Career in Medicine
Keywords
professional identity formation, professional socialization, medical students, medical residents, teacher professionalism, medical education, communities of practice, schematic representation, identity construction
MeSH terms
Education, Medical, Graduate, Education, Medical, Undergraduate, Humans, Internship and Residency, Self Concept, Social Identification, Socialization, Students, Medical

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