Factors influencing career choice, study experiences and professional identity in undergraduate health students: A mixed methods study across two universities

Background: Factors associated with professional identity are of interest to university health professional programs because of its association with successful student transition, retention, and progression into the workforce. Aim: To explore the factors associated with students’ decisions in choosing their current program of study, and how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted their learning experience and sense of belonging to health professionals in their program. Methods: Convergent parallel mixed-methods design was used, collecting quantitative, and qualitative data through an online questionnaire. First year students enrolled in health-related baccalaureate programs across two institutions in two different countries were invited to participate in the study. Participants were asked to complete the standardised Professional Identity Scale (PIS) and questions regarding factors that influenced their enrolment in a health course and first year experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: A total of 395 students participated in this study. Overall, students achieved high average PIS scores. Students who were working in the health sector showed higher professional identity. Similarly, those who had positive career influencers and positive university experiences also produced higher professional identity scores. Qualitative analysis produced categories related to health profession career influencers, positive university experiences, and the impact of physical distancing and COVID-19 news. For students, the experience was ‘tough’, but they were committed to staying in their programs. Disrupted Professional Identity Formation represents students’ experiences of beginning identity formation in a context of mandated physical distancing and regular representation of health professionals in the news media. Conclusions: The perseverance demonstrated by students offers insight into how adversity supports development of resilience and grit and in this study positively influenced professional identity. Factors that were positively associated with higher professional identity can be embedded within university programs to strengthen student progression and readiness for health profession practice.