Fostering connections, psychological safety and meaningful relationships: The role of preclerkship learning communities in professional identity formation

Key Points

• The aim is to explore how learning communities foster connections and psychological safety, influencing professional identity formation in students.
• Described structural elements of preclerkship learning communities.
• Analyzed relationships between connections, psychological safety, and student growth.
• Utilized empirical data to support findings on communities of practice.
• Identified three key structural elements that support student growth.
• Demonstrated that psychologically safe environments enhance meaningful relationships.
• Confirmed that learning communities play a crucial role in professional identity formation.