Decoding the mask: Identity in undergraduate medical education

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: Developing a healthy sense of professional identity among medical students is an integral aspect of medical education. Despite its importance, addressing professional identity formation (PIF) in medical school has typically been limited to narrative methods. Mask-making represents a complementary visual modality to examine PIF in undergraduate medical education. Methods: 140 students from the Penn State University College of Medicine Class of 2022 participated in a mask-making activity as they transitioned to clinical clerkships. Students expressed their ideal professional self on the outside of the masks and their current sense of self on the inside of the masks. Masks were coded into 31 PIF categories, and data were analyzed using chi-square to identify significant (P < 0.05) differences between self and ideal profiles. Results: Overall, the subdomains Communication skills, Observational Skills, and Relationships had the greatest incongruence between what students perceived as “ideal” and how they saw themselves. Discussion: Mask-making is a modality for self-exploration in the context of identity formation in medical education. Students were able to identify potential areas of growth in their developing professional identities. Our findings suggest arts integration can support holistic student growth and development.