Understanding Professionalism’s Interplay Between the Profession’s Identity and One’s Professional Identity

Abstract

Pharmacy schools have taught professionalism for many years but are now discussing the model of professional identity formation adopted by academic medicine. While professionalism is an outward expression of a community’s norms, professional identity is an internalization of those norms such that one thinks, acts, and feels like a member of that community. Some have expressed concern that the wide-ranging roles and responsibilities of pharmacists mean there is no universal identity for the pharmacy profession, and therefore a student’s professional identity cannot be intentionally developed. This commentary suggests that the profession’s identity is an outward expression to patients and other health care providers of what pharmacists do, while one’s professional identity is an internal acceptance that being a pharmacist is part of who one is. While a clear identity of the profession may make one’s professional identity easier to develop, full agreement on the profession’s identity is not required to begin guiding student pharmacists in the formation of their professional identities.