291 - Supporting Future Educators: Pediatric Resident Perspectives on Barriers to Professional Identity Formation as an Educator

Publication Number: 1277.291

Kirsten Snook, Children's Hospital Colorado, Denver, CO, United States; Sarah N. Fox, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States; Kimberly O'Hara, Children's Hospital Colorado, Denver, CO, United States; Barry Seltz, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States

Background: Professional identity formation (PIF), the process of internalizing ideals and values of a profession, is a core goal of medical education and residency training. The PIF of residents can consist of multiple identities, such as that of a clinician, researcher, and/or educator. Supporting educator PIF in trainees is essential for cultivating the future pediatric academic-clinician workforce and advancing medical education, however barriers and challenges to this professional development have not yet been well described.

Objective: To explore factors during residency training that impede pediatric resident PIF as an educator.

Design/Methods: Informed by situated learning theory, this qualitative study used grounded theory methodology to conduct semi-structured interviews with pediatric residents across all training years at a large academic free-standing children's hospital (December 2024-October 2025). Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded by our resident-faculty research team. The interview guide was iteratively refined and purposeful sampling continued until achieving information power. Codes were reviewed and analyzed using the constant comparative method and identified factors impeding PIF as an educator.

Results: Twenty pediatric trainees (6 PGY1 [30%], 6 PGY2 [30%], 8 PGY3 [40%]) participated in interviews. Data revealed that barriers to resident educator PIF included: 1) institutional prioritization of clinical care, limiting the perceived value of educating particularly on high-volume clinical services; 2) lack of formal instruction on medical education and learning theories diminishing ones educator skillset; 3) insufficient time for educator development due to competing responsibilities, particularly in PGY1 year; 4) reduced supervisory interactions with learners in various clinical services limiting authentic interactions and practice that builds educator PIF; 5) provider burnout and emotional fatigue diminishing drive and passion for educator development; and 6) imposter syndrome and lack of confidence preventing one from identifying as an educator. Illustrative quotations are shown in Table 1.

Conclusion(s): Pediatric residents identified multiple systemic, programmatic, and individual factors that impede educator identity development. To best support pediatric trainee educator PIF, training programs and residency leadership must be aware of and address these barriers to support the next generation of clinician-educators.

Table 1 (page 1)
Descriptive quotations from resident trainees regarding educator PIF barriers (page 1)

Table 1 (page 2)
Descriptive quotations from resident trainees regarding educator PIF barriers (page 2).