Professional Identity Formation: Do Early Additional Classroom Experiences Initiate the Process of Professional Identify Formation Sooner for Medical Students?
Authors: Pfeifer Donald , Hargiss Blade 
Published: April 2020

In medicine, a teamwork approach, critical thinking, and life‐long learning are crucial aspects for success in a clinical setting. Professional identity formation (PIF) as a team player and life‐long learner in medicine begins early in medical training. The anatomy curriculum is often a very stressful and challenging time for students. Success in anatomy partially depends on individual effort, but also requires aspects of PIF. Thus, the anatomy course plays a significant role in jumpstarting physician PIF. Exposure to a low stress, elective anatomy experience before first‐year medical students start their official coursework initiates the process of PIF earlier, resulting in improved aspects of PIF such as teamwork, critical thinking, and life‐long learning.

A pre‐anatomy course was organized and offered as an elective experience for first‐year medical students at the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine. First, de‐identified pre‐ and post‐ surveys were distributed via Qualtrics on a volunteer basis. Seven Likert scale score questions were asked to assess various topics relating to PIF and stresses on the students. Results were collected and statistical analysis was completed using pre‐ and post‐anatomy elective surveys to compare changes in aspects of PIF. Second, de‐identified anatomy reflections from the anatomy course were analyzed after its conclusion. Participants that were part of the pre‐anatomy elective experience were included and their responses to a critical thinking reflection question were analyzed for themes involving the development of their PIF critical thinking skills. Third, following the conclusion of the anatomy curriculum, a random focus group consisting of ten students was formed. Five guiding questions focused on aspects of PIF were asked and transcripts were made of the discussions. De‐identified transcripts were analyzed using qualitative methodologies looking for themes and subthemes pertaining to PIF that evolved from the interviews. Finally, de‐identified anatomy final exam scores were compared between students who participated in the elective experience to those who did not to assess improvements in exam outcome.

Likert scale pre‐ and post‐ survey results indicated a significant increase (p=0.01) in views toward the importance of teamwork in the anatomy course. Personal reflections completed during the anatomy block and focus group interviews conducted two weeks after completion of the course indicated common themes relating to critical thinking development and life‐long learning. While significance criteria was not met in one other survey question, there was a difference in students’ views pertaining to their ability to learn within a team setting (p<0.1). Offering students an elective experience that exposes them to anatomical principles and relevant clinical activities before the start of the medical school anatomy course initiates the development of teamwork, critical thinking, and life‐long learning.