Continuing our series on Professional Identity, we are pleased to publish a well-written essay from a graduate of our 2022 cohort. Kelly Gordon graduated as a Pharmacist from The Medical University of South Carolina in 2009. She completed a PGY-1 residency and worked for several years in the clinical setting prior to joining Boehringer Ingelheim in 2015. She is currently a Senior Associate Director in Clinical Development & Medical Affairs, Specialty Care where she most recently launched a medication for a rare disease in dermatology. She leverages her knowledge from the Academy in preparation for future upcoming launches.

“Discuss Professional Identity and the Sense of Purpose in Medicines Development and their relevance for professionals involved in the field.”

Kelly Gordon, Pharm.D., CMD

“Professional Identity can be described in a variety of ways. One paper explains it as an image people use to describe themselves as professionals1.  While Heldal et al. stated the Professional Identity is context-dependent.3 Many additional definitions are described including how an individual thinks of himself or herself.1,4,5 Ultimately, it boils down to a person’s individual unique experiences that help you develop and determine what Professional Identity means to you.  These experiences allow you to cultivate your own Professional Identity over time.  Professional Identity can change and evolve as you grow in your career.  And you may need to redefine it when you are in a position that no longer fits your Professional Identity.  Jill Donohue said, “To find meaning in your work, sometimes you need to change how you think about it.2”

Professional Identity can change as you move into new roles throughout your career including leadership roles.  Every leader should define their Professional Identity.8 This helps us describe our “why” and share our individual brand with those we work with.  As a leader, influence is crucial in our job.  In order to be influential in our business we have to ensure we have a clear picture of our own brand.8 Especially in an extremely competitive marketplace, leaders want to have the right team members working alongside them.

Everyone wants to have a sense of purpose.  It is widely known that companies will perform better when they have a clear sense of purpose6. Employees are more engaged and believe in the “north star” described by their leadership.  The engagement ultimately leads to improved performance and overall satisfaction in their job.  Rebecca Henderson said it best, “The sense of being part of something greater than yourself can lead to high levels of engagement.6” Medicines Development and Medical Affairs are no different.  A clear sense of purpose is needed particularly as the vision transforms as we move towards the year 2025.  As we evolve as a Medicines Development/Medical Affairs group, we can have the opportunity to become the third strategic pillar for the pharmaceutical enterprise alongside research & development and commercial7.   Our core deliverables will change allowing us to become more innovative, accelerate access to treatments, transform and personalize medical engagement and step up our internal leadership7.  As we transform into the third strategic pillar, it is vital we continue to evolve in our Professional Identity to ensure the path ahead aligns with the strategies toward the vision for 2025.

In summary, as Medicines Development and Medical Affairs professionals, we need to effectively communicate the changes that are coming to our cross-functional teams.  Clear communication and sharing the mission and vision keep the team engaged and working towards our goals.  It also can provide a continued sense of purpose ultimately providing stronger outputs for the company.”

References

  1. What is Professional Identity. Professional Identity – Psychology4u
  2. The Power of Purpose video by Jill Donohue
  3. Heldal F, Kongsvik T, Håland E. Advancing the status of nursing: reconstructing professional nursing identity through patient safety work. BMC Health Serv Res. 2019;19(1):418.
  4. Professional Identity in Medical Students: Pedagogical Challenges to Medical Education. Professional Identity in Medical Students: Pedagogical Challenges to Medical Education: Teaching and Learning in Medicine: Vol 25, No 4 (tandfonline.com)
  5. Professionalism and Professional Identity: what are they, and what are they to you? Professionalism and Professional Identity: what are they, and what are they to you? | Australian Medical Student Journal (amsj.org)
  6. The Business Case for Purpose. Harvard Business Review. The Business Case for Purpose – SPONSOR CONTENT FROM EY (hbr.org)
  7. A vision for Medical Affairs in 2025, June 2019. Matthias Evers, Arnie Ghatak, et.al.  A vision for Medical Affairs in 2025 | McKinsey
  8. Gbenga Ogunjumi. 5 REASONS YOU SHOULD DEFINE YOUR PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY BY YOURSELF. 5 REASONS YOU SHOULD DEFINE YOUR PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY BY YOURSELF (linkedin.com)

Disclaimers

  • The material in these reviews is from various public open access sources, meant for educational and informational purposes only
  • Any personal opinions expressed are those of only the author(s) and are not intended to represent the position of any organization(s)
  • No official support by any organization(s) has been provided or should be inferred