Clinical experiences and professional identity formation in medical students: a qualitative study

Background & Objective: Professional identity formation is a context-dependent process in medical education.Despite the major focus of research on Western educational systems, there is limited understanding of how this process develops within Iran's national general medical curriculum, which has distinct structural and cultural characteristics.This study aimed to investigate the role of clinical experiences in the professional identity formation of medical students within the context of medical education in Iran. Materials & Methods:This qualitative study involved 17 medical students (7 females and 10 males).Participants were selected via purposive sampling and included 12 interns and 5 students in the physiopathology stage.Data were collected through 17 individual semistructured interviews conducted from August 2024 to October 2024, each lasting 45 to 75 minutes.Sampling continued until data saturation was reached.Data analysis was performed manually using conventional content analysis based on the Graneheim and Lundman approach.To ensure the trustworthiness of the findings, Guba and Lincoln's criteria of credibility, including prolonged engagement with data, member checking, and peer debriefing, were applied.Results: Data analysis revealed three main themes: the experienced curriculum, the perceived clinical learning environment, and student characteristics.The experienced curriculum encompassed the hidden curriculum, the influence of role models and peers, and the formal curriculum structure.The perceived clinical learning environment highlighted inadequate conditions for curriculum implementation and the observation of professional anomalies.Student characteristics included active participation in clinical education activities, student search behavior, and personal development.The findings indicated that challenges in the clinical environment, such as workload and observation of unprofessional behaviors, alongside personal and financial circumstances, were significant factors influencing professional identity formation.Conclusion: Clinical experiences, behavioral patterns, and the hidden curriculum play a crucial role in the professional identity formation of medical students.Improving the quality of role modeling, managing unprofessional messages, and providing supportive learning environments can help align clinical experiences with the goals of the formal curriculum.