Professional Identity and Motivation to Study Medicine: A Structural and Cluster Analytic Study among Medical Students

Abstract

Background:
Professional identity formation (PIF) and motivation are key factors influencing medical students’ engagement, well-being, and persistence. While both constructs are well-recognized, limited research has simultaneously explored their interrelationship, psychometric properties, and demographic variations in medical students.

Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted with 271 undergraduate medical students from Azra Naheed Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan. Professional identity was assessed using the Professional Identity Questionnaire [10], and motivation was measured through Self-Determination Theory (intrinsic, identified, introjected, and external regulation). Data were collected via an online survey. Analyses in R included reliability (Cronbach’s α, McDonald’s ω), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), structural equation modeling (SEM), group comparisons (Welch’s t-tests, ANOVA), correlations, and hierarchical cluster analysis.

Results:
Students reported high positive identity (M = 3.70, SD = 0.77) and autonomous motivation (intrinsic: M = 3.46; identified: M = 3.65), alongside lower controlled motivation (introjected: M = 2.92; external: M = 2.98). All scales showed good reliability (α = .73-.90). CFA supported a two-factor structure for identity and a four-factor model for motivation. SEM demonstrated that positive identity predicted intrinsic (β = .43, p < .001) and identified motivation (β = .51, p < .001), while disidentification was positively linked to controlled motives. Group comparisons revealed significant effects of gender, employment status, parental marital status, and family type. Cluster analysis identified four distinct identity-motivation profiles, ranging from “Low Identity/Motivation” to “Very High Identity & Autonomous.”

Conclusion:
Professional identity strongly predicts autonomous motivation in medical students, while disidentification aligns with controlled regulation. Demographic factors and subgroup profiles highlight the heterogeneous nature of students’ experiences. Educational strategies that strengthen professional identity and support autonomy may foster engagement, resilience, and well-being in medical training.