Introduction Conceptual frameworks for professional identity (PI) formation highlight the importance of developmental stages and socialization as the learner progresses from legitimate peripheral to full participation. Based on extant literature and clinical impressions, the authors aimed to explore factors associated with PI formation in psychiatry residents over time, and hypothesized that time in training, seniority status, and duration of exposure to psychiatry prior to residency would be associated with PI formation.

Methods Eighty out of 96 psychiatry residents (response rate, 83.3%) from the National Psychiatry Residency Program in Singapore participated and rated their PI development using the Professional Self Identity Questionnaire (PSIQ) across four timepoints from January 2016–December 2019. The residents were classified as junior (first 3 years) or senior residents (years 4–5). Linear mixed model analyses were conducted, with time in training, seniority status (junior versus senior residents), duration of psychiatry postings prior to residency, and their interaction as associated factors with PI over time.

Results Time in training, seniority, and duration of psychiatry postings before residency (all p < 0.01) were significantly associated with higher PSIQ scores at baseline. Over time, although all residents had increases in PSIQ scores, this rate of change did not differ significantly between junior and senior residents.

Discussion Exposure to psychiatry postings before residency, time in learning, and seniority are factors which influence PI development in residents.