PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY FORMATION IN MEDICAL EDUCATION: CONTRIBUTIONS OF CURRICULUM, MENTORSHIP, AND FEEDBACK
TL;DR
Professional identity formation should be understood as a structuring component of medical education, rather than a spontaneous consequence of exposure to the training environment, to contribute to identity trajectories that are more conscious, coherent, and aligned with the values of the profession.
Abstract
Introduction: Professional identity formation constitutes a central dimension of contemporary medical education, involving a progressive process through which medical students and physicians in training internalize the values, norms, roles, behaviors, and ways of understanding practice that characterize the medical profession. This process extends beyond the acquisition of technical knowledge and skills and is shaped by educational experiences, by the relationships established throughout training, and by the institutional contexts in which professional socialization takes place. Objective: To examine the scientific evidence on professional identity formation in medical education, with emphasis on the contributions of curriculum, mentorship, and feedback to the identity development of medical students and physicians in training. Method: An integrative literature review was conducted, grounded in the principles of evidence-based practice. The review question was structured using the PICo strategy. The search was carried out across databases selected to capture the scientific production related to medical education and professional identity formation. Included studies were characterized in terms of their methodological features and levels of evidence, and the findings were subjected to interpretive thematic synthesis. Results: Eleven studies were included in this review. The literature on professional identity formation points to the longitudinal, relational, and contextual nature of this process, highlighting the influence of formal, informal, and hidden curricular experiences, mentoring relationships and professional role models, and feedback and reflection practices. These elements can foster a sense of belonging to the professional community, the internalization of values, and the progressive construction of a self-concept as a physician. Conclusion: Professional identity formation should be understood as a structuring component of medical education, rather than a spontaneous consequence of exposure to the training environment. Intentionally organized curricula, meaningful mentoring relationships, and reflection-oriented feedback practices can contribute to identity trajectories that are more conscious, coherent, and aligned with the values of the profession.