WGEA 2024 Spring Conference

Presenters:
Janet Lindsley, University of Utah
Candace Chow, University of Utah School of Medicine
Adrienne Carey, University of Utah
Morgan Nelson, University of Utah

Topic: Basic Science: Teaching and Learning Pedagogies and Curricula

Rationale
In recent years, physician professional identity formation (PIF), or the way students come to “think, feel, and act” like a physician, has become a major focus of medical education (Cruess). Many studies and analyses have addressed
components of medical education that impact PIF, including a recent scoping review we helped complete (Lindsley). The review analyzed 257 publications from which multiple themes emerged about the impact of foundational sciences on PIF.
Using the lens of Wagner’s three modes of identification (engagement, imagination, and alignment) within landscapes of practice (LoP) (Wegner-Trayner), we identified three major themes: engaging in the work of a physician, imagining oneself becoming a ‘good’ doctor, and aligning with the practices and expectations of a medical community or specialty (Lindsley). In this session, we will use the findings from this review as a framework to help participants develop guidelines for catalyzing PIF in the context of teaching foundational sciences.