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Published on: November 19, 2015
Anticipated shame and professional identity formation
1University of Pennsylvania.
Physicians-in-training experience shame, particularly anticipated shame, which significantly impacts their professional identity development. Understanding this affect is crucial for medical education and practice.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Psychology
- Sociology
Background:
- Professional identity development is a key outcome in medical education.
- Affective experiences, especially shame, are increasingly recognized as important in medical training.
- Shame arises from self-perception in relation to others and is common in healthcare settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the role of shame in the professional identity formation of physicians-in-training.
- To introduce and theorize 'anticipated shame' as a significant factor in medical education.
- To connect shame, stigma, and marginalization within the context of medical training.
Main Methods:
- This article presents a theoretical exploration of shame and anticipated shame.
- It analyzes the impact of shame on self-concept and identity within medical training.
- The study examines interpersonal dynamics in student-teacher and trainee-patient interactions.
Main Results:
- Anticipated shame is posited as a potent factor influencing the development of a medical professional identity.
- Shame is linked to stigma and marginalization experienced by trainees.
- The anticipation of shame highlights crucial aspects of communication in medical training and practice.
Conclusions:
- The concept of anticipated shame offers a valuable framework for understanding the influence of affect in medical education.
- It sheds light on how trainees internalize medical cultural values.
- This understanding is critical for trainees entering clinical practice.
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