Unmasking identity dissonance: exploring medical students’ professional identity formation through mask making

Abstract

PurposeProfessional identity formation is an on-going, integrative process underlying trainees’ experiences of medical education. Since each medical student’s professional identity formation process is an individual, internal, and often times emotionally charged unconscious experience, it can be difficult for educators to understand each student’s unique experience. We investigate if mask making can provide learners and educators the opportunity to explore medical students’ professional identity formation experiences.MethodsIn 2014 and 2015, 30 third year medical students created masks, with a brief accompanying written narrative, to creatively express their medical education experiences. Using a paradigmatic case selection approach, four masks were analyzed using techniques from visual rhetoric and the Listening Guide.ResultsThe research team clearly detected identity dissonance in each case. Each case provided insights into the unique personal experiences of the dissonance process for each trainee at a particular point in their medical school training.ConclusionsWe propose that mask making accompanied by a brief narrative reflection can help educators identify students experiencing identity dissonance, and explore each student’s unique experience of that dissonance. The process of making these artistic expressions may also provide a form of intervention that can enable educators to help students navigate professional identity formation and identity dissonance experiences.

Forging a new identity: a qualitative study exploring the experiences of UK-based physician associate students

“…However, almost all data on how clinicians form their professional identity have been focused within the domain of medical undergraduate students 17 21–27. Traditionally, the field of medicine ‘has been referred to as the very embodiment of the concept of professional identity’28 with doctors ‘being treated as the archetypal healthcare profession.’29 Doctors as a universal standard for professional identity development within healthcare risks a ‘one size fits all’ model of identity development, particularly when you consider that PA students are different from undergraduate medical students in regard to their training and emerging role.…”

Examining Professional Identity Formation Through the Ancient Art of Mask-Making

“…Using visual rhetoric and a listening guide to analyze the visual components of each mask and the accompanying written narratives, we have identified themes of role strain, isolation, burnout, and identity dissonance to be the most common in medical student masks. 5 Although potentially limited by scope and generalizability, our findings suggest that the students are able to reflect deeply on personal and professional identity-related issues and express these through the mask-making experience. This learnercentric approach embraces art as both product and process and appears to facilitate each student's individual ability to reflect upon and learn about themselves.…”

“A huge part of my life”: Exploring links between music, medical education, and students’ developing identities as doctors

“…Additionally, we noted the potential for music and medicine study to allow students with a strong background in music to bring two seemingly separate aspects of their identity together. In the past decade, authors have drawn attention to the potential for medical students to experience identity dissonance in the process of developing their identities as doctors (Joseph et al, 2017;Monrouxe, 2010). Students whose personal identities and values are different to those expected of a doctor may experience stress, uncertainty, and feel like they do not belong in medical school (Joseph et al, 2017).…”

“…In the past decade, authors have drawn attention to the potential for medical students to experience identity dissonance in the process of developing their identities as doctors (Joseph et al, 2017;Monrouxe, 2010). Students whose personal identities and values are different to those expected of a doctor may experience stress, uncertainty, and feel like they do not belong in medical school (Joseph et al, 2017). It is important for us as educators to understand how such dissonance can impact upon the lives of our students and potentially their success at medical school.…”