The Interconnectedness of Interprofessional Education and Professional Identity Formation

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Professional Development

Background:

• Professional identity formation (PIF) is crucial for pharmacy students, involving alignment with professional norms.
• Pharmacy institutions must guide students through PIF, but optimal methods remain unclear.
• Curricular demands necessitate efficient strategies for supporting PIF.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the potential of Interprofessional Education (IPE) activities in fostering PIF within pharmacy programs.
• To determine if existing IPE can be utilized to enhance student PIF efficiently.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of IPE activities in pharmacy curricula.
• Alignment of IPE components with key elements of PIF.
• Consideration of Interprofessional Education Collaborative Core Competencies.

Main Results:

• IPE activities inherently contain elements vital for PIF, including growth, socialization, and pivotal experiences.
• IPE provides structured opportunities that can significantly contribute to professional identity development.

Conclusions:

• Existing IPE programming offers a viable and efficient strategy to augment student PIF in pharmacy education.
• Integrating PIF support within IPE can streamline curricula and enhance student professional growth.