The role of models in professional socialization

Students relate to teacher-models in a variety of modes and styles. The process of modeling in professional socialization is multi-dimensional and there is no one dominant pattern that characterizes it. The pattern depends not only on qualities of the models themselves or on the structure of the situation, but on the nature of the different norms and values. Three basic patterns of modeling appear: Active Identification, Active Rejection, as well as Inactive Orientation. The clear presence of the Rejection and Inactive patterns emphasizes the tendency of students to pick and choose selectively, to consider alternative models, and to view some of the clinical teachers as anti-models. At the end of formal socialization, students and teaching models differ on a substantial number of the norms and values observed. Among these are certain central norms such as the importance of the People and Science components of the professional role and the Intrinsic Rewards to be gained from the profession. About a third of the norms observed were already adhered to before the starting point of formal socialization which shows considerable anticipatory socialization. Of these, some were actually abandoned over time in a process of rejection. Classic modeling, in which students come to identify with models over time, occurs with respect to both the most idealistic and the most "cynical" of the norms observed: Idealism and Extrinsic Rewards. Students and models differed initially on these norms but students come to accept models' view.