The article discusses the development of the physician's identify, starting with professional choice and education. Based on the authors' experience in medical education, especially in the discipline of Medical Psychology, as well as on the literature in this area, certain elements are discussed, such as: the idealization of the physician's role, the conscious and unconscious motivations behind the choice of a profession, the difficulties in the first years of Medical School, the beginning of didactic activities in the hospital and the psychological defensive mechanisms triggered by contact with patients. It is essential that medical Schools and their professors be aware of these aspects. They should not only be concerned with curricular and pedagogical issues, but also pay special attention to the teacher-student relationship, given its fundamental role in the establishment of a medical identity.
Medical education
