Clinical associate students' perceptions of factors that influence their developing professional identity: a qualitative study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

New cadres of clinicians, known as clinical associates, physician assistants, or clinical officers have evolved globally within many health systems to broaden access to care by increasing human resources. The training of clinical associates started in 2009 in South Africa, entailing the attainment of knowledge, clinical skills, and attitude competencies. Less formal educational attention has been focused on the process of developing personal and professional identities.

Method

This study utilized a qualitative interpretivist approach to explore professional identity development. A convenient sample of 42 clinical associate students at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg were interviewed using focus groups to explore their perceptions of factors that in

SUBMITTER: Mgobozi A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9945349 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature