Article Impact Level: HIGH Data Quality: STRONG Summary of: BMC Palliative Care, 21(1), 200. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-022-01090-4 BMC Palliative Care, 22(1), 7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-022-01120-1 Dr. Kelly Jia Hui Teo et al.
Points
- Researchers developed a new curriculum to teach medical students essential attitudes, such as trust and humility, alongside complex skills for bedside cardiac assessment.
- The innovative program used patient videos and simulated conversations with 268 students across four medical schools to encourage deeper, reflective practice.
- A qualitative analysis involving 67 students found that learning patient-centered communication and humility was a meaningful part of their educational experience.
- This curriculum actively supports the development of “confident humility,” a vital attribute that aids in the formation of professional identity and the transition to residency.
- The authors hope that this work will spark broader conversations about formally integrating trustworthiness into all levels of health professions education for future clinicians.
Summary
A systematic scoping review investigated methods for assessing professional identity formation (PIF) in medical students, prompted by the complex ethical and moral dilemmas encountered in fields such as oncology and palliative medicine. The review, guided by the Systematic Evidence-based Approach (SEBA), analyzed literature from four major databases published between January 2000 and December 2021. From an initial 2,436 abstracts, 602 full-text articles were evaluated, and 88 articles were ultimately included for concurrent content and thematic analysis. No confidence intervals or hazard ratios were reported as part of the review’s findings.
The analysis identified three primary domains in PIF assessment: theories, assessment methodologies, and implementation. Key theoretical frameworks included Cruess et al’s socialization model, cited in nine articles, and Goldie’s social psychological analysis, cited in eight. The review found a strong consensus on assessment principles, with 20 articles advocating for longitudinal assessments, 16 for multimodal approaches, and 14 for the use of multiple assessors. A diverse array of tools was identified, ranging from the Professional Identity Essay to quantitative tools, such as the Professional Self-Identity Questionnaire (PSIQ).
The authors concluded that the current PIF assessment is fragmented, which impairs the evaluation and support of medical students. To address this, they propose the Krishna-Pisupati model, a holistic framework that views clinical postings as Communities of Practice essential for shaping a student’s self-concept and professional identity. Based on their findings, the study presents nine distinct recommendations designed to enhance the assessment of PIF and guide the development of a dedicated PIF-specific tool to provide timely, personalized support for medical students.
Link to the article:
https://bmcpalliatcare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12904-022-01090-4
https://bmcpalliatcare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12904-022-01120-1
References Teo, K. J. H., Teo, M. Y. K., Pisupati, A., Ong, R. S. R., Goh, C. K., Seah, C. H. X., Toh, Y. R., Burla, N., Koh, N. S. Y., Tay, K. T., Ong, Y. T., Chiam, M., Fong, W., Wijaya, L., Goh, S. P. L., & Krishna, L. K. R. (2022). Assessing professional identity formation (Pif) amongst medical students in Oncology and Palliative Medicine postings: A SEBA guided scoping review. BMC Palliative Care, 21(1), 200. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-022-01090-4 Teo, K. J. H., Teo, M. Y. K., Pisupati, A., Ong, R. S. R., Goh, C. K., Seah, C. H. X., Toh, Y. R., Burla, N., Koh, N. S. Y., Tay, K. T., Ong, Y. T., Chiam, M., Fong, W., Wijaya, L., Goh, S. P. L., & Krishna, L. K. R. (2023). Correction: Assessing professional identity formation (Pif) amongst medical students in Oncology and Palliative Medicine postings: a SEBA guided scoping review. BMC Palliative Care, 22(1), 7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-022-01120-1
