Professional Identitiy and Uncertainty

Question 1

What is the definition of professionalism?

Answer 1

• moral contract between professional and public
• implicit agreement enabling patients to trust medical professionals during times of vulnerability/fear/anxiety
• behavioural contract between 2 parties

Question 2

What are the internal and external factors of identity?

Answer 2

internal = who we think we are
external = who we think other people are

Question 3

How does identity develop?

Answer 3

• begins in early childhood
• recognise self separate and others
• external identification dominates
• early identities are weak internal responses
• over time become more accepting
• gender/ethnicity/social class

Question 4

Define habitus

Answer 4

Embodied socialised tendency to think, act or feel in a certain way

Question 5

What is identity consonance?

Answer 5

• experience of acquiring new identity

- blends smoothly with other internalised personal identities

Question 6

What is identity dissonance?

Answer 6

• one’s personal identities are dissonant with the professional role
• students feel uncertain about values/ambitions/abilities/affinities/self-worth