Finding Their Place: How Anesthesiology Interns Develop a Sense of Belongingness in a New Community of Practice.

Background: Belongingness is an individual sense of "connection" or "acceptance" from others, created through an interaction between an individual and their surrounding environment, and impacts medical education. How anesthesiology interns develop a sense of belongingness within anesthesiology is poorly understood. This study explores the pathway and mechanisms by which anesthesiology interns develop a sense of belongingness. Methods: Semi structured interviews were conducted with 23 anesthesiology trainees during the 2023-2024 academic year. A constructivist, qualitative approach rooted in grounded theory was used to generate a middle-range theory on the development of belongingness among anesthesia interns. Results: The authors identified 4 primary facets of anesthesiology interns' Belongingness Journey described as (1) Stepping into liminality, (2) Cohesion with(out) contact, (3) Purpose-driven belonginess, and (4) Perceived self-actualization. As trainees entered the liminal space of internship, multiple mechanisms destabilizing their sense of belongingness emerged, described here as Conclusions: Anesthesiology interns' idiosyncratic lived experiences track along a belongingness journey. Knowledge of this pathway may help to inform the creation of future professional development and belongingness curricula.