Professional ideals and personal identities - how do these influence the professional identity formation of medical students

Burnout and psychological distress seem to be more common in medical students and can have a negative impact on patient care. One cause may be perfectionism and imposter syndrome, characterised by negative comparisons to unrealistic ideals. Within medicine some ideals are explicit, others are tacit and have the potential to

be harmful; such as ideals related to personal identities. Those with identities not traditionally associated with being a doctor may feel pressure to change who they are to fit in and form a professional identity. My research aims to explore the professional ideals of medical students, how they influence the formation of a professional identity, and

the role of personal identities in this process. A narrative literature review will inform subsequent focussed ethnographic research. Data will consist of observational field notes, digital diaries, interviews with both students and faculty, and documentary sources. The data will be analysed in an iterative way, using reflexive thematic analysis to identify

patterns in the data. The findings will be shared with both students and educators locally, informing curriculum development, resources, and faculty development. To reach a wider audience I will use medical education networks, online channels, high impact journals, and conferences. We believe this work has the potential to challenge harmful

ideals and celebrate diverse perspectives, improving both student wellbeing and patient care in the future.