Office of Health Advancement takes the lead on professional identity formation initiative

LoRen Modisa, Ed.D., MPA, speaks to medical students on professional identity formation.

The Office of Health Advancement is leading the Whiddon College of Medicine’s efforts to strengthen professional identity formation (PIF), a core component of medical education that shapes how students “think, feel and act” like physicians.

Through intentional collaboration and innovation, the PIF working group, co-led by Tiquera Hall, Ph.D., MPA, education and training program manager, and LoRen Modisa, Ed.D., MPA, director of the Office of Health Advancement, is creating a shared vision for how students develop their professional identities throughout their medical school journey.

“Professional identity formation is not just about what students learn,” Modisa said. “It’s about who they become as future physicians and how they integrate their personal values, learner mindset, and professional roles to serve patients and communities with empathy, integrity and excellence.”

A Collaborative Effort

The PIF working group brings together a diverse team of faculty and staff from across the College of Medicine, including:

• Office of Health Advancement: Franklin Trimm, M.D.; Tiquera Hall, Ph.D., MPA; LoRen Modisa, Ed.D, MPA; and Sherry Parnell, BSW
• Undergraduate Medical Education: T.J. Hundley, M.D., FACP; and Peyton McElroy, Ph.D.
• Clinical Skills: Laura Boatright, M.D., CHSE
• Office of Accreditation and Planning / Academic Success: David Williams, Ph.D., MPA; and Angie O’Neal, M.Ed.
• Student Affairs: Laventrice Ridgeway Ed.D., LPC, NCC; and Becky Smith, Ph.D, LPC, NCC
• Faculty Development: Amanda Arnold, M.S., RDN, LD
• Graduate Medical Education: Judy Blair-Elortegui, M.D. (Internal Medicine) and Jenna Pfleeger, M.D. (Family Medicine)

Together, the group is mapping, aligning, and expanding PIF efforts across the medical education continuum, from pre-clinical learning and clerkships to residency preparation and beyond.

From Vision to Action

Tiquera Hall, Ph.D., MPA

The foundation for this work began in May 2024, when faculty and staff from key departments began exploring ways to better connect identity development to medical education. Over the following months, the Office of Health Advancement assumed leadership of the initiative, building on early discussions and launching the PIF working group in October 2024.

Since then, the group has met regularly to identify and analyze existing activities that foster PIF, uncover gaps, and create a unified framework. To date, 93 PIF-related activities or touchpoints have been identified across the Whiddon College of Medicine (65% required and 35% extracurricular) highlighting the breadth of experiences that contribute to student growth.

“Our goal is to create a cohesive and intentional approach to PIF that supports both academic excellence and personal well-being,” Hall said. “When students see how their learning connects to who they are becoming, they develop a stronger sense of purpose and a deeper connection with their patients.”

Defining PIF at the Whiddon COM

Through this work, the Whiddon College of Medicine has adopted a shared definition of professional identity formation: “Through implementation of a student-centered approach to professional identity formation, the Whiddon COM strives to have every student possess a healthy concurrence between personal, learner and career identity.”

Looking ahead, the PIF working group will continue to engage key stakeholders (including students, clerkship directors, faculty, and the curriculum committee) to build awareness, standardize language, and celebrate the individuality of each student’s professional journey.

Professional identity formation is a continuous process; by making it visible and intentional, it is ensured that students not only gain medical knowledge but also develop the reflective, compassionate mindset that defines exceptional physicians.