Student pharmacists' perceptions of their professional identity

Impact of Pharmacy-Related Memes on Students' Professional Identity Formation

OBJECTIVE

Professional identity formation (PIF) is the process which one internalizes the values and norms of a profession, ultimately becoming a member of that profession. The objective of this study was to determine the perceived professional identities of pharmacists in memes and how pharmacy-related memes affect students' PIF.

METHODS

Student pharmacists from a single academic institution participated in focus groups to discuss the concept of professional identity, view self-submitted pharmacy-related memes, and reflect on the memes' impact on their PIF. An inductive, thematic content analysis was performed, and a theoretical model was developed to illustrate the themes observed.

RESULTS

Twenty-six student pharmacists participated in the study. Before exposure to the self-submitted memes, the participants described the professional identity of a pharmacist in a more idealistic way, noting pharmacist roles such as medication expert, educator, and patient care provider. After exposure to the memes, the participants' responses reflected a pharmacist identity based on feelings of being antagonized, overwhelmed, and misperceived. Despite these challenges, the participants noted the importance of remaining professional.

CONCLUSION

When exposed to pharmacy-related memes, the students' perceptions of the pharmacist identity changed from one based on idealistic roles to an identity based on negative feelings and interactions. Owing to memes' ability to reflect one's experiences, it is important to recognize the impact memes may have on PIF. Further research is needed to determine how pharmacy educators can help students navigate identity dissonances that arise from the students' pharmacy experiences.

Emotional intelligence and professional identity formation in pharmacy education

INTRODUCTION

Considering the various professional roles of pharmacists, pharmacy students and pharmacists have had difficulty identifying with a clear professional identity. Thereby there is a need for a professional identity formation (PIF) that conveys a consistent message about the role and value of pharmacists. Having a clear professional identity may also be a driver to advance the pharmacy profession. While achieving PIF is a challenging path, one element that conceivably contributes to PIF is emotional intelligence (EI). EI is acquired through life experiences and relates to personal and social awareness and the management of emotions and relationships. EI is critical for personal and professional success.

PERSPECTIVE

Pharmacy students are exposed to different pharmacists' professional identities. This faces them with challenges as they try to incorporate their roles and expectations into practice. Integrating the core elements of EI into pharmacy education through a variety of teaching and learning methods is essential in the PIF of pharmacy students. PIF will enable pharmacy students to better associate with the profession by "thinking, acting, and feeling like a pharmacist."

IMPLICATIONS

Both EI and PIF need to be integrated in pharmacy curricula. However, there is paucity of literature on how to best develop, integrate and assess EI and PIF. Therefore, a collaborative comprehensive approach by the pharmacy profession is necessary to that end.

Pharmacy Students' Perceptions of the Pharmacist Role: An Arts-Informed Approach to Professional Identity Formation

Elements of professional identity are closely intertwined with professional roles, and individuals perceive themselves in relation to their roles. How pharmacists perceive their professional identity influences how they enact their roles in practice. For pharmacy students, understanding the pharmacist role and envisioning themselves in that role supports the formation of their professional identity. This study explores students' perceptions of the pharmacist role. First-year pharmacy students enrolled in the Doctor of Pharmacy program at the University of Alberta were invited to participate in this study. Using an adapted version of the draw-and-write technique, participants were asked to express their understanding of the pharmacist role visually. An analysis of the results was guided by established discourses related to pharmacist identity derived from pharmacy education literature. In total, 100 pharmacy students participated in this study. The findings indicate that pharmacy students have a comprehensive understanding of the pharmacist role, especially the dispenser and health care provider aspects of a pharmacist's professional identity. Additionally, students acknowledged the involvement of pharmacists in health care teams, in public health, and primary health care services. A discourse related to professional identity, the multi-faceted professional, emerged to describe the coexistence of multiple roles in modern pharmacy practice. An arts-based activity successfully facilitated the exploration of pharmacy students' perceptions of the professional role of pharmacists. This approach has potential in supporting instruction regarding professional identity formation within the curriculum.