{
  "abstract": "Background\n\nRole models are crucial in shaping and developing students' professional identities. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of medical students encountering both positive and negative role models and their impact on the process of professional identity growth and development at Tehran University of Medical Sciences.Methods\n\nThis study was carried out using the Colaizzi descriptive phenomenological method. Sixteen medical students from the undergraduate medical curriculum from 2023 to 2024 constituted participants. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Data trustworthiness was assured using Guba and Lincoln's criteria.Results\n\nThe data were categorized into six main themes. (1) Enhancing Students' Professional Insight and Vision, (2) Improving Students' Professional Performance and Behavior through Positive Reinforcement, (3) Instilling Positive Feelings and Affections in Students, (4) Triggering Negative Reactions and Feelings in Students5) Changing Students' Avoidance Performance, and 6) Stimulating Students' Reflections on Their Professional Beliefs and Views.Conclusion\n\nThe study results indicate that medical students pattern their performance, behaviors, feelings, and perspectives, which positively contributes to developing their professional identity through positive role models. Furthermore, facing negative role models through reflection, they think about behaviors and feelings that lead them away from professional norms and avoid internalizing them in their professional value system.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Medical Education, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.",
    "Health Professions Education Research Center, Education Development Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.",
    "Department of Pediatric Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.",
    "Medical Education Development, Global Consulting, New York, USA.",
    "Department of Medical Education, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. m-mafinejad@tums.ac.ir.",
    "Health Professions Education Research Center, Education Development Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. m-mafinejad@tums.ac.ir."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 5,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Houra Heidari"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Elaheh Mohammadi"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Fatemeh Ebrahimpour"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Elizabeth K Kachur"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4,
        5
      ],
      "name": "Mahboobeh Khabaz Mafinejad",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-9578-4172"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/61qbxt5m7v38h.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1186/s12909-026-10004-4",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13689011",
  "id": "61qbxt5m7v38h",
  "issns": [
    "1472-6920"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42907976",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "lcc",
      "LC8-6691"
    ],
    [
      "lcc",
      "R"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2739|Innovations in Medical Education"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W4416444139",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13689011?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13689011",
  "pmid": "42907976",
  "published": "2026-07-01",
  "publisher": "BMC",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/61qbxt5m7v38h.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:19:57Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42907976",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42907976"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T13:46:06Z",
      "native_id": "c31119c873b84df584feb982839a13d3",
      "source": "doaj",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-026-10004-4"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2739|Innovations in Medical Education",
      "subfield": "epidemiology-public-health"
    }
  ],
  "title": "To become or not to become: uncovering the influence of exposure to positive and negative role models in professional identity development.",
  "title_text": "To become or not to become: uncovering the influence of exposure to positive and negative role models in professional identity development.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T13:46:06Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/61qbxt5m7v38h",
  "venue": "BMC medical education",
  "versions": []
}