Development and Establishment of Professional Identity during Academic Education; a Qualitative Study on the Lived Experiences of Pharmacy Students

Some educationally important themes like Professional performance, academic motivation, etc. could be explained in relation to "professional identity". Nevertheless, 'identity' is somewhat vague but could be described based on special considerations related to the context, major, personal and environmental characteristics. This study aims to explore how pharmacy students contribute to the formation and development of their professional identity. 12 pharmacy students were interviewed by purposeful sampling. The data were analyzed using conventional content analysis methodology. Five main categories were extracted to explain how pharmacy students' professional identity develop and establish from the beginning to graduation: 1) Basic (primary) establishments in the path of choosing the field of study, 2) Intra- and extra-professional conflicts in the way of stabilizing the primary professional identity, 3) Becoming empowered in the chosen future professional path, 4) The consolidation of professional identity structures by heartening yourself and relying on your own abilities and, 5) The dynamics of students' satisfaction with studying pharmacy. The central category, "To Search for and acquire yourself; flourishing in the path of your chosen professional destiny," could describe the data and establish relationship between the main categories. Academic educators could pave the way for every student according to his/her specific goals, personal abilities and limitations. Nevertheless, Availability of general academic advising from the first stages of education could help development of professional growth and excellence. Defining and then strengthening the hidden and overt roles of professors could facilitate this process properly and promptly. Keywords: Pharmacy students, Professional identity, Qualitative research, Academic motivation, Academic identity.