The impact of interprofessional simulation-based experiences in fostering the development of health professional students' professional identity: A scoping review

Introduction: Interprofessional education aims to prepare future health professionals for collaborative practice by developing essential skills in communication and teamwork. Simulation-based experiences are a popular teaching method in interprofessional education, providing students with safe and supportive learning environments that authentically replicate clinical practice. Developing a strong professional identity is crucial in health professional students, as it fosters a sense of belonging and helps define roles and boundaries within healthcare teams. This scoping review aims to synthesise the literature to explore the impact of interprofessional simulation-based experiences on the development of health professional students' professional identity. Methods: Following Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework, 22 studies were included in the review. Findings: Findings demonstrated interprofessional simulation positively impacted professional identity development by helping students to understand their roles within the healthcare team and recognise the value of their profession. However, stereotypes, power imbalances and lack of role clarity can hinder professional identity development. Conclusion: When designing effective interprofessional simulation-based experiences for professional identity development, it is important to ensure students understand their professional roles, scenarios being used are inclusive of all professions involved, there is adequate preparation and debriefing opportunities and stereotypes and hierarchy are addressed. Future research should focus on exploring the long-term impact of interprofessional simulation experiences on professional identity development.