ReviewGMS journal for medical education2026
Definitions of professional identity formation. A review of the literature and conceptual analysis.
Review in GMS journal for medical education, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Professional Identity Formation - important, complex, and dynamic.GMS journal for medical education · 2026Article
- Professional Identity Formation in medical education and training - a discursive determination of the term in German-speaking contexts.GMS journal for medical education · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Aim: The purpose of this review is to better understand the terminology of professional identity formation (PIF). Guided by the question: "How is PIF defined?", the article aims at delivering an overview and an analysis of so far established ways of understanding PIF focusing on explicit definitions and main conceptual contributions. Method: A systematic literature search was conducted via MEDLINE and CINAHL. The PRISMA framework was used to support a comprehensive search strategy and screening. In a first step of our conceptual analysis texts were analyzed regarding explicit definitions. In a second analytical step the main foci of the articles as well as different elements of PIF definitions were analyzed by comparing the structure and content of the definitions. Results: 25 of 639 articles met the eligibility criteria. We identified three categories for a further conceptual analysis of the definitions according to the questions: (1) On which aspects of "becoming a physician" is PIF focusing? (2) What are further properties of PIF? (3) What is the result of PIF? Additionally, the main foci of the identified articles were taken into account.The main foci of the identified articles showed diverse intentions regarding PIF. Most often "values" and "norms" were focused aspects of definitions. Regarding further properties of PIF a variety of aspects are stated unsystematically. Possible results of PIF mentioned in or in the context of definitions are most frequently to "think, act, and feel like a physician". Conclusion: The review and analysis offer an overview over ways to define PIF and typical elements. Contextualization of these results within the publication history of PIF will further the understanding of the term's development as well as its potential for a more comprehensive definition.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.