Search Results (50)

Background: People with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) face a wide range of social barriers, including stigma, limited support, and inaccessible environments, that restrict participation in physical activity (PA). Although PA is known to improve physical and psychological outcomes, its role in reducing social barriers has not been clearly synthesized. Methods: Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we conducted a systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science (January 1997–October 2025). Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods studies examining how PA relates to social barriers, facilitators, or social outcomes for PwMS were included. Data were synthesized using a thematic analysis approach due to heterogeneity in study designs and outcomes. Risk of bias was assessed using JBI, NIH, RoB 2.0, and MMAT tools. Results: Twenty-nine studies met the inclusion criteria. The thematic synthesis identified three overarching mechanisms through which PA contributes to reducing social barriers: (1) peer support and shared experience, whereby group-based PA reduced isolation and normalized fluctuating symptoms; (2) guidance from knowledgeable professionals, which fostered trust, confidence, and perceived safety; and (3) changes in social identity, with participants shifting from a “sick role” toward identities such as “exerciser” or “athlete.” These mechanisms were supported by high-quality qualitative studies and by quantitative evidence showing small-to-moderate effect sizes for improvements in self-efficacy, social participation, and perceived social support. Conclusions: PA functions as a socially transformative practice for PwMS when delivered in group-based, supervised, and accessible formats. Programs designed to intentionally cultivate peer connection, professional support, and identity-building processes may be especially effective in overcoming social barriers and promoting social inclusion. Full article

The professional development of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education has been converted from rigid hierarchical models to more flexible and context-sensitive frameworks. This study introduces ego-centred network card analysis as a new methodology to investigate how Indonesian university EFL teachers create and negotiate their professional identities. The data were collected from 11 experienced EFL teachers. The network cards were analysed to find the nodes and sectors of professional identity and development. Drawing on constructivist and sociocultural perspectives, the study findings indicated that the formation is influenced by relational, emotional and institutional influences, and that family support, mentoring, and career goals alleviate pressures such as workload, publication demands, and financial instability. The findings highlight identity as both a product and a driving force for professional development, extending sociocultural theories by visualizing hidden dimensions of teachers’ networks. Methodologically, this study demonstrates the value of visual-relational tools in capturing complexity beyond interviews or surveys. The results suggest that, in practice, teacher education and policy must integrate structured mentorship, peer reflection, and recognition of emotional work in order to maintain professional growth. Full article

Background: Ethical dilemmas and the moral distress they generate are central challenges in healthcare practice and professional identity formation. While moral reasoning has been widely studied, comparative evidence on how medical students and practicing physicians approach ethical dilemmas remains scarce in Eastern Europe. Methods: A total of 244 participants (51 senior medical students and 193 physicians) completed an adapted version of the Defining Issues Test, version 2 (DIT-2). Three classical dilemmas were assessed: end-of-life decision-making, access to life-saving medication, and the reintegration of a fugitive. Responses were analyzed through descriptive statistics and chi-square tests to identify differences in decision choices and underlying reasoning. Results: Physicians consistently endorsed conventional, law-based reasoning, emphasizing legality and professional codes, while medical students demonstrated greater variability, indecision, and openness to compassion-driven justifications. In the “Jan and the Drug” and “Fugitive” dilemmas, significant between-group differences highlighted tensions between legality, empathy, and justice (p < 0.01). These differences in reasoning indicate differing vulnerabilities to moral distress, especially when legal and compassionate perspectives conflict. Conclusions: The findings reveal distinct patterns of moral reasoning that reflect different levels of vulnerability to moral distress in healthcare contexts. Integrating structured ethics training and reflective dialogue into both undergraduate and continuing medical education could mitigate moral distress by fostering a balance between justice, compassion, and professional responsibility. Full article

Initial teacher education is an important contributor to teacher retention through teachers’ identity and their resilience in teaching. Relationships are key elements of teachers’ resilience and identity formation. During teacher education, professional learning communities can build these relationships and dispositions that support pre-service teachers’ persistence during challenges they encounter professionally and as students during their teacher education program. While previous research has shown the value of learning communities in professional experience in teacher education, the effects of a learning community approach to the delivery of an entire teacher education program has not previously been examined. A professional learning community approach to delivery of a postgraduate initial teacher education program was designed and has been implemented at regional campuses of an Australian university since 2018. This interpretivist study evaluated the contribution of the program to pre-service teachers’ personal resources for their professional lives as teachers. Focus groups were held with all students enrolled in the regional program in 2018 and 2021, and self-selected alumni of the program in 2022, as well as four teacher educators involved in delivering the regional program in 2021 and 2022. A thematic approach was employed to analyze the transcripts. The professional learning communities built a number of resources for teaching, including relational resilience in the form of strong relationships that offered support during the program, teacher education student engagement, and teacher identity. In the process, the learners obtained skills and dispositions that would equip them to continue to work in professional learning communities during their teaching careers. The findings highlight the importance of relationships in teacher education and have implications for the design of initial teacher education programs for teacher retention. Full article

The teaching of medical history, once central to medical education, has been progressively displaced by science- and competency-focused curricula. In anesthesiology, despite the presence of historical scholarship and institutional resources, the history of this specialty is rarely used as a formal educational tool. This narrative review explores how historical narratives can support the development of professionalism and professional identity in anesthesia training. An exploratory search of the literature revealed no prior studies explicitly linking anesthesia history to professional identity formation, underscoring a gap in current scholarship. Drawing on the foundational literature in medical education and selected historical examples, including figures such as Crawford Long, Henry Beecher, and Virginia Apgar, this review illustrates how reflective engagement with historical episodes can deepen ethical awareness, foster identity formation, and contextualize the evolving role of the anesthesiologist. It proposes a theoretical framework and strategies for integrating historical content into anesthesia curricula and argues that historical reflection can complement existing methods for teaching professionalism. The history of anesthesia, when purposefully employed, offers a powerful means to humanize training, support critical reflection, and better prepare trainees for the ethical and professional challenges of contemporary practice. Full article

Pharmacists are increasingly expected to deliver medication therapy management (MTM) services, yet many pharmacy students report insufficient confidence and preparedness in executing these complex tasks. This study evaluated a scaffolded MTM instructional series integrated into a second-year pharmacy skills laboratory, aiming to enhance student competence through progressive, structured learning. A mixed-methods design assessed changes in self-reported confidence, performance-based outcomes, and reflective insights among 154 students across three educational tracks. The 14-week intervention included sequential activities such as medication history interviews, drug-related problem (DRP) identification, care plan development, and comprehensive MTM simulations. Pre- and post-intervention surveys revealed statistically significant improvements in all 18 confidence domains, with the greatest gains in therapeutic recommendations and prescriber communication. Effect sizes ranged from small to very large (Cohen’s d 0.33–1.05), indicating gains that were both statistically reliable and educationally meaningful. Performance assessments showed consistent proficiency across MTM components, with average scores ranging from 90% to 96%. Qualitative reflections reinforced these findings, highlighting growth in communication, individualized patient care, and professional identity formation. The scaffolded approach aligns with accreditation standards and instructional design theory, offering a model for pharmacy curricula. Despite limitations such as lack of a comparator group and potential response bias, the study demonstrates that scaffolded MTM instruction effectively supports skill acquisition and confidence, preparing students for real-world clinical practice. Full article

The global emphasis on interdisciplinary teaching continues to shape educational discourse, promoting meaningful and valuable learning experiences. This study examines the interdisciplinary curricular process led by a group of second-career teacher trainees and explores its role in shaping their emerging professional identities. The research focuses on eight high-achieving individuals transitioning to teaching as a second career through a STEM-focused (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) teacher preparation program. Employing a qualitative case study methodology, the study reveals a curricular process characterized by confusion and conflict as second-career teacher trainees navigate interdisciplinary integration. The findings highlight a planning process driven by conceptual and epistemic deliberations at both inter- and intra-disciplinary levels, with a predominant focus on disciplinary considerations over pedagogical aspects. The study further identifies key tensions that challenged participants’ perceptions, emotional responses, and instructional practices, offering a nuanced perspective on the complexities of interdisciplinary teaching. These insights contribute to a deeper understanding of professional identity formation among second-career teachers in STEM education. Full article

This study investigates the evolving pedagogical strategies and professional identity development of two novice college English teachers in China through a semester-long classroom-based inquiry. Drawing on Norris’s Multimodal (Inter)action Analysis (MIA), it analyzes 270 min of video-recorded lessons across three instructional stages, supported by visual transcripts and pitch-intensity spectrograms. The analysis reveals each teacher’s transformation from textbook-reliant instruction to student-centered pedagogy, facilitated by multimodal strategies such as gaze, vocal pitch, gesture, and head movement. These shifts unfold across the following three evolving identity configurations: compliance, experimentation, and dialogic enactment. Rather than following a linear path, identity development is shown as a negotiated process shaped by institutional demands and classroom interactional realities. By foregrounding the multimodal enactment of self in a non-Western educational context, this study offers insights into how novice EFL teachers navigate tensions between traditional discourse norms and reform-driven pedagogical expectations, contributing to broader understandings of identity formation in global higher education. Full article

(1) Background: The development of professional identity in future educators is a dynamic and multifaceted process, shaped by personal experiences, interpersonal relationships, role models, and the values internalized across diverse learning ecologies. This identity formation is closely intertwined with academic achievement, socio-educational integration, peer interactions, and the underlying motivations for choosing a particular educational and professional trajectory. This study explores the connections between students’ educational experiences and their motivation to pursue careers in pedagogy and social education. (2) Methods: Based on 138 autoethnographic narratives written by undergraduate students enrolled in Anthropology of Education courses at two [Spanish] universities. (3) Results: The analysis reveals how reflective engagement with personal educational histories enables students to reconstruct the relational foundations of their learning paths. These reflections inform their academic and career choices, which are understood not as static decisions, but as evolving trajectories shaped by a generational context characterized by uncertainty and change. (4) Conclusions: The findings highlight how students, through their narratives, articulate both their professional aspirations and a vision of the educator as an agent of change—one who emerges in response to, and often in critique of, the educational structures and practices. Full article

Anatomy education has long served as a cornerstone of medical training, equipping healthcare professionals with the foundational knowledge necessary for clinical practice. However, the discipline has undergone significant transformations in response to evolving curricula, ethical considerations, and technological advancements. This paper explores the historical development, current state, and future trajectory of anatomy education, focusing on challenges such as ethical concerns regarding cadaveric dissection, and the need for cost-effective alternatives. The study examines innovative teaching methods, including virtual reality, augmented reality and artificial intelligence, which enhance anatomical learning by providing interactive, scalable educational experiences. Additionally, it discusses the integration of anatomy with clinical practice through imaging technologies, competency-based education, and evidence-based approaches. While modern innovations offer valuable learning tools, they cannot entirely replace the hands-on experience and professional identity formation fostered by cadaveric dissection. A balanced approach that combines traditional methodologies with digital advancements is essential for optimizing anatomy education. By leveraging both physical and virtual resources, educators can enhance anatomical comprehension, improve clinical preparedness, and ensure that future healthcare professionals develop both technical expertise and ethical awareness. This paper underscores the need for continued adaptation in anatomy education to align with the demands of modern medicine while preserving its core educational values. Full article

This scoping review investigates the labor market challenges and coping strategies of highly skilled second-generation immigrants in Europe who, despite their educational and professional accomplishments, face persistent barriers related to ethnic, cultural, and religious identities. Synthesizing existing literature, the review examines obstacles to the economic integration of highly educated children of immigrants, highlighting both their perceptions of these barriers and the adaptive strategies they employ. A systematic search was conducted across Scopus, Web of Science, and EBSCOhost to identify studies published between 2010 and 2024. The selection process followed a structured five-stage framework, including defining research questions, identifying and selecting relevant studies, charting the data, and synthesizing findings. A total of 1192 records were initially identified, with 1022 retained after duplicate removal. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 68 studies were included in the review. Findings indicate that hiring discrimination, occupational segregation, and exclusion from elite professional networks remain key barriers, particularly for those of Muslim background. Despite achieving professional success, many continue to encounter symbolic boundaries that limit career advancement. In response, second-generation professionals adopt various coping strategies, including ethnic niche formation, entrepreneurship, and transnational mobility, to navigate labor market disadvantages. Challenging traditional assimilation narratives, findings reveal that professional success does not guarantee societal acceptance, as ethnic and cultural identities continue to pose significant barriers. The review concludes by identifying key research gaps, advocating for further exploration of organizational practices that perpetuate ethnic inequalities within high-skill professions, and examining transnational mobility as a coping strategy for second-generation elites. Future research should explore how gender and ethnicity intersect to shape career trajectories for second-generation women. Additionally, expanding research beyond the predominant focus on Muslim professionals to include other religious and ethnic groups would provide a more comprehensive understanding of how identity markers influence labor market outcomes. Finally, as demographic shifts reshape European labor markets, comparative studies should assess how different institutional and cultural frameworks influence patterns of inclusion and exclusion for highly skilled second-generation professionals. Full article

Background: This study aims to explore the perceptions of visually impaired patients and their families regarding rehabilitation. Methods: A qualitative, descriptive, and cross-sectional design was employed, incorporating data from semi-structured interviews conducted with patients and their families as part of a broader project. Data were analyzed using a content analysis approach to address the study’s objectives. Results: The findings identified three primary categories based on interviews with nine patients and six family members: (A) the impact of rehabilitation on autonomy and identity formation; (B) the significance of professional training, experience, and assistive technology in rehabilitation; and (C) the effects of rehabilitation on patients and their families. Conclusions: Patients and their families deemed rehabilitation essential for fostering autonomy and independence in daily activities. A multidisciplinary approach, emphasizing professional training that integrates health, rehabilitation, and education, was found to be vital. Full article

Background/Objectives: Athletic identity (AI) is an important part of an elite athlete’s self-concept and can positively impact sports performance, but over-emphasis can lead to potentially negative outcomes. Identity theory suggests that identity is shaped by individuals’ roles, group affiliations, self-perceptions, and important changes in personal circumstances. Athlete transitions are changes that occur in an athletes’ athletic and/or non-athletic circumstances, which can impact identity development. Using identity theory, this study aimed to explore the athletic transitions important in early AI formation and development in elite Gaelic athletes. Methods: Nine athletes were purposively sampled and participated in semi-structured interviews that were analysed using a six-step thematic analysis. Results: Findings indicate that the initiation, development, and mastery transitions in sport influence AI formation and align with the identity theory precepts of roles, groups, and persons in identity development. AI formation and development is individualised and shaped by perceived athlete competence, associated external validation, and the increased professionalism and personal commitment associated with higher levels of performance. Conclusion: We call for a greater emphasis to be placed on the development of multi-faceted identity profiles in elite Gaelic athletes. Full article

International medical graduates (IMGs) account for 25% of the physician workforce in the United States, yet little is known about their professional identity formation (PIF). This qualitative study explores the process of PIF in IMG residents with special attention to how they integrate their intersectional marginalized personal identities. Method: Using a social constructivist approach, the researchers conducted semi-structured individual interviews with 15 IMG resident physicians in the United States. The authors analyzed the data using a constant comparison approach and identified themes by consensus. Results: Participants described their PIF journey beginning before starting residencies in the US. Their PIF was challenging due to structural barriers associated with their immigrant status. Furthermore, participants reported more difficulties with PIF if they did not look white. When their pre-existing professional and personal identities clashed with the American professional norm, the residents suppressed or compartmentalized these pre-existing identities. However, participants also reported that their diverse personal identities could be assets to the provision of care for diverse patient populations. Conclusions: This study reveals the identity tension experienced by IMGs in their PIF journey and the different strategies they employed to navigate the conflicts with American professional norms. This study suggests reimagining PIF frameworks to cultivate a more diverse physician workforce. Full article

The anxiety of doctoral students in school has consistently been a major concern in society and the medical community, stemming from pressures, such as the pursuit of identity within highly professional and fiercely competitive academic communities, the urgent drive for high-level original scientific research output, and the need to break through the limits of personal ability to complete in-depth academic training. Current research has focused on the prevalence of, causes of, and intervention strategies for anxiety among doctoral students, but it still exhibits deficiencies, such as overly generalized analytical methods, neglect of the diversity within the doctoral student population, and the incomplete theoretical framework for the mechanisms of influence. Therefore, our study aims to examine the anxiety status of different categories of doctoral students and to explore their anxiety intervention mechanisms. Specifically, we employ a mixed research method combining quantitative and qualitative approaches to address issues, such as the influencing factors of anxiety in different types of doctoral students, the mechanisms of action of each factor, and the formation of an influence mechanism framework. The results indicate that anxiety is prevalent among doctoral students, with the key influencing factors being gender, age, love and marriage pressure, and self-perception. Full-time and part-time doctoral students exhibit different anxiety states and causes on account of varying pressures related to graduation, employment, and family factors. Our research distinguishes the heterogeneity of anxiety among different types of doctoral students in China, innovatively constructing a set of anxiety intervention mechanisms for doctoral students. It aims to provide policy insights for the adjustment of their anxiety and hopes to offer novel perspectives and exemplary references for the theoretical research and practical exploration of doctoral students’ anxiety in other countries around the world. Full article