Behind the Mask II

The COVID-19 pandemic presented the medical education community with unprecedented challenges. Little is known about impact of on professional identity formation (PIF) in matriculating students. objective this study to explore PIF a cohort first-year students using mask-making and narrative reflection. This took place spring 2021. Following IRB approval, Penn State College Medicine’s University Park Entering Class 2020 (n=12 students) was invited create mask express their sense identity. In addition, completed written brief survey further how has affected learning development. Basic descriptive statistics were used analyze responses. Visual thematic analysis masks principles grounded theory iterative constant comparison extract emergent themes from student narratives. Ten survey. Five reflection created mask. Students generally felt that strengthened resolve become physician optimistic training will eventually return normal. When analyzing narratives, COVID mentioned only context qualities an ideal physician, but not when relating elements self-identity. most salient domains coded within included “habits” “personal characteristics”, respectively. While had significant training, first year exhibited remarkable resilience, reported minimal emotional pandemic, shared developing strong habits laudable characteristics as more central than any specific element COVID.