Understanding Medical Professional Identity and Character Development Symposium
Friday, April 28, 2023 | 8:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. CDT
Professional identity formation (PIF), as defined by Wear and Castellani (2000), is the “ongoing self-reflective process involving habits of thinking, feeling, and acting” as a physician. The holistic development of these capacities of PIF can be interpreted as essential qualities of one's character and integrity.
Education in the professions must design learning environments that center self-reflection within the PIF curriculum and provide growth opportunities that challenge while offering support and guidance for PIF growth, as well as the learner's well-being.
In this symposium, we aim to convene medical education researchers, instructors, and others to engage on the state of PIF research, the goals, and interests of attendees, going beyond the confines of reductionist approaches. Our overarching goal is to transcend to holistic and humanistic integration spaces, weaving a central thread that is crucial to the person’s professional self.
Keynote Presentation
Can You Imagine How Far They've Come?: PIF As Immigration
Lara Varpio, PhD
Professor, Department of Pediatrics
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Co-Director of Research in Medical Education
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Target Audience
This symposium is intended for:
- Educators, practitioners, and learners interested in character and professional identity development
- Professionals interested in research with practical applications
- Visionaries who are curious to meet others in this growing, exciting field
Educational Method
This fully virtual session will include:
- Welcome Remarks
- Keynote Address
- Panel Discussions
- Discussion Breakout Groups (interactive session)
- Closing Remarks
Symposium Registration
Registration is required through Zoom Events. There is no fee to attend. Upon registering, you will be issued a link that will be unique to you and cannot be shared. Be sure to do the calendar download as a placeholder for your calendar.
A Zoom account is required to register.
NOTE: If you are registering using a work-based Zoom account, you will access the session on April 28 as you normally would from that work account.
How Do I Register/How Do I Access the Symposium?
Logging in to Zoom Events can be a bit unique. We are here to help! To ensure you are able to join the session on time on April 28, please pre-register and consider logging in and making sure you can see “the Lobby” in advance (you can even try as early as today if you are already registered!).
If you are unable to register or to sign in and navigate to the Lobby, please reference the Logging Into Zoom Events (PDF) document.
Still not able to log in? Contact Michael Braun at micbraun@mcw.edu with questions.
2022 Symposium
This year’s symposium was held on Friday, April 30, 2022 virtually with over 150 participants.
KEYNOTE PRESENTATION
Tasha Wyatt, PhD, MA
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
"Endarkening the Episteme: Professional Identity Formation in Black/African American Physicians"
2021 Symposium
This virtual symposium was held on April 30, 2021.
Download 2021 symposium booklet (PDF)
KEYNOTE PRESENTATION
Adina Kalet, MD, MPH
It Is About Trust: Why We Need To Measure Medical Professional Identity And Character Development