Professional identity formation in Medical Laboratory Technology students

The body of work around professional identity formation (PIF) in healthcare is expanding rapidly, however, little has been published that is specifically concerned with Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT). PIF is an ongoing process where students come to think, act, and feel like a laboratory technologist. MLT graduates are expected to have made the transition from a student identity to that of a healthcare professional, with the incumbent responsibility for patient care. This study addressed the existing knowledge gap with an exploration of how students in one MLT cohort experienced the development of professional identity. Data from seven semi-structured interviews and 11 reflective journals was analyzed qualitatively for emergent and conceptual themes. The results demonstrated evidence of PIF in all participants and identified factors that both contributed to and limited the process. In addition, students described how they experienced and resolved varying degrees of identity dissonance or professional challenges.