Do You Have Any ID? Exploring Opinions and Understanding of Year 4 MPharm Students on Professional Identity

Abstract

Objective: To investigate Year 4 Master of Pharmacy students' understanding and sense of professional identity (PI) and explore the factors that positively and negatively impact PI formation in the undergraduate program.

Methods: Three focus groups were conducted in January 2022 with 5-8 participants per group. Audio from the focus groups was recorded and recordings were transcribed verbatim. Reflexive thematic analysis was employed to construct themes and subthemes.

Results: Four themes, with associated subthemes, were generated. The themes were 'Understanding PI', 'Experience of Master of Pharmacy degree', 'Interaction and comparison with others,' and 'Development of self'.

Conclusion: Participant understanding of PI reflected the wider literature, including ambiguity as to what it means to a pharmacist in training. The lens of legitimate peripheral participation in a community of practice was used to reflect on curricular and educational approaches to support undergraduate PI formation. Participants expressed that patient-focused learning experiences and opportunities to participate in authentic professional activities alongside peers and more experienced members of the pharmacy community positively contribute to PI formation. This suggests that a sociocultural perspective where learning is viewed as legitimate peripheral participation in a community of practice provides a valid theoretical basis to underpin curriculum design.

Keywords: Community of practice; Pharmacy education; Professional identity; Trainee pharmacist.