The role of mentoring, supervision, coaching, teaching and instruction on professional identity formation: a systematic scoping review

Rachelle Qi En Toh; Kai Kee Koh; Jun Kiat Lua; Ruth Si Man Wong; Elaine Li Ying Quah; Aiswarya Panda; Chong Yao Ho; Nicole-Ann Lim; Yun Ting Ong; Keith Zi Yuan Chua; Victoria Wen Wei Ng; Sabine Lauren Chyi Hui Wong; Luke Yu Xuan Yeo; Sin Yee See; Jolene Jing Yin Teo; Yaazhini Renganathan; Annelissa Mien Chew Chin; Lalit Kumar Radha Krishna

doi:10.1186/s12909-022-03589-z

The role of mentoring, supervision, coaching, teaching and instruction on professional identity formation: a systematic scoping review

BMC Med Educ. 2022 Jul 8;22(1):531. doi: 10.1186/s12909-022-03589-z.

Authors

Rachelle Qi En Toh^{1

2}, Kai Kee Koh^{1

2}, Jun Kiat Lua^{1

2}, Ruth Si Man Wong^{1

2}, Elaine Li Ying Quah^{1

2}, Aiswarya Panda^{1

2}, Chong Yao Ho^{1

2}, Nicole-Ann Lim^{1

2}, Yun Ting Ong^{1

2}, Keith Zi Yuan Chua^{1

2}, Victoria Wen Wei Ng^{1

2}, Sabine Lauren Chyi Hui Wong^{1

2}, Luke Yu Xuan Yeo^{1

2}, Sin Yee See^{1

2}, Jolene Jing Yin Teo^{1

2}, Yaazhini Renganathan^{1

2}, Annelissa Mien Chew Chin³, Lalit Kumar Radha Krishna^{4

5

6

7

8

9

10}

Affiliations

¹ Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Singapore, 1E Kent Ridge Road, NUHS Tower Block, Level 11, Singapore, 119228, Singapore.
² Division of Palliative and Supportive Care, National Cancer Centre Singapore, 11 Hospital Crescent, Singapore, 16961, Singapore.
³ Medical Library, National University of Singapore Libraries, National University of Singapore Blk MD6, Centre for Translational Medicine, 14 Medical Dr, #05-01, Singapore, 117599, Singapore.
⁴ Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Singapore, 1E Kent Ridge Road, NUHS Tower Block, Level 11, Singapore, 119228, Singapore. lalit.radha-krishna@liverpool.ac.uk.
⁵ Division of Palliative and Supportive Care, National Cancer Centre Singapore, 11 Hospital Crescent, Singapore, 16961, Singapore. lalit.radha-krishna@liverpool.ac.uk.
⁶ Division of Cancer Education, National Cancer Centre Singapore, 11 Hospital Crescent, Singapore, 16961, Singapore. lalit.radha-krishna@liverpool.ac.uk.
⁷ Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore, 169857, Singapore. lalit.radha-krishna@liverpool.ac.uk.
⁸ Palliative Care Institute Liverpool, Academic Palliative & End of Life Care Centre, University of Liverpool, 200 London Rd, Liverpool, L3 9TA, UK. lalit.radha-krishna@liverpool.ac.uk.
⁹ Centre for Biomedical Ethics, National University of Singapore, Blk MD11, 10 Medical Drive, #02-03, Singapore, 117597, Singapore. lalit.radha-krishna@liverpool.ac.uk.
¹⁰ PalC, The Palliative Care Centre for Excellence in Research and Education, PalC c/o Dover Park Hospice, 10 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, Singapore, 308436, Singapore. lalit.radha-krishna@liverpool.ac.uk.

Abstract

Background: Mentoring's pivotal role in nurturing professional identity formation (PIF) owes much to its combined use with supervision, coaching, tutoring, instruction, and teaching. However the effects of this combination called the 'mentoring umbrella' remains poorly understood. This systematic scoping review thus aims to map current understanding.

Methods: A Systematic Evidence-Based Approach guided systematic scoping review seeks to map current understanding of the 'mentoring umbrella' and its effects on PIF on medical students and physicians in training. It is hoped that insights provided will guide structuring, support and oversight of the 'mentoring umbrella' in nurturing PIF. Articles published between 2000 and 2021 in PubMed, Scopus, ERIC and the Cochrane databases were scrutinised. The included articles were concurrently summarised and tabulated and concurrently analysed using content and thematic analysis and tabulated. The themes and categories identified were compared with the summaries of the included articles to create accountable and reproducible domains that guide the discussion.

Results: A total of 12201 abstracts were reviewed, 657 full text articles evaluated, and 207 articles included. The three domains identified were definitions; impact on PIF; and enablers and barriers. The mentoring umbrella shapes PIF in 3 stages and builds a cognitive base of essential knowledge, skills and professional attitudes. The cognitive base informs thinking, conduct and opinions in early supervised clinical exposure in Communities of practice (COP). The COPs' individualised approach to the inculcation of desired professional characteristics, goals, values, principles and beliefs reshapes the individual's identity whilst the socialisation process sees to their integration into current identities.

Conclusion: The mentoring umbrella's provides personalised longitudinal support in the COP and socialisation process. Understanding it is key to addressing difficulties faced and ensuring holistic and timely support.

Keywords: Coaching; Communities of Practice; Instruction; Mentoring; Professional Identity Formation; Supervision; Teaching.

Publication types

Systematic Review

MeSH terms

Humans
Mentoring*
Mentors / education
Physicians*
Social Identification
Students, Medical* / psychology