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.