A continuous-time approach to short-term activity-cognition dynamics.

Professional identity is the set of unique values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors that define and distinguish a professional group []. What constitutes a family physician (FP)’s professional identity is well described – FPs value personal, primary, preventive, comprehensive, continuing, and coordinated healthcare of the individual in relation to his/her family, community, and environment []. FP professional identity (PIF) is the continuous and dynamic process of personal development and social construction in which these core values, beliefs, attitudes and behavioural norms are internalized, so that one thinks, acts and feels like a FP [,]. Professional identity increases one’s experience of meaning at work, through strengthening one’s perception of coherence, purpose, and significance []. Strong PIF is associated with increased well-being, resilience, adaptability, job satisfaction, and reduced burnout [,]. Therefore, nurturing PIF is not merely an educational ideal but a strategic imperative for healthcare systems aiming to retain a skilled and resilient FM workforce and mitigate the high costs of physician turnover. It is also postulated to enhance patient-centred care by enabling nuanced decision-making within complex social interactions and patient-family relationships []. Furthermore, FPs with a clear professional identity are able to better collaborate with other healthcare providers and advocate for the unique role and value of Family Medicine (FM) in the healthcare system []. However, the nature of FM practice and training may pose challenges to PIF that are unique to FM. FM’s value, skills and scope are harder to define compared to other specialties; personalized, comprehensive, continuing, and coordinated care is not easily measurable []. As such, FM is often undervalued compared to other specialties around the world - not only in terms of being perceived as less prestigious [,], but also in being underfunded by government healthcare spending [,] which can be damaging to PIF. A key mechanism through which PIF develops is with the professional community of practice (CoP), where trainees internalize professional norms, values and ways of being through participation in a community of practice, interactions with role models, and engagement in shared professional discourse []. However, the breadth of FM practice necessitates exposing trainees to postings outside the FM CoP; such ‘learning away from home’ can impede socialization within the FM CoP, causing trainees to feel that they ‘lose the general practitioners’ perspective’ as described by Klitgaard et al. []. This is not helped by the fact that PIF remains a hidden curriculum [], alluded to at best [] in the curricula of FM residency programs worldwide [] and in Singapore []. The lack of explicit articulation and intentional support for PIF contributes to slower consolidation of family physician identity [,].