How can the professional identity as paramedic be developed through further education? A study of paramedic students' learning experiences in the course Communication and ethics

The article explores the interaction between a program of professional study and professional identity with paramedics taking part in a program for further education, Nasjonal Paramedic-utdanning (National Paramedic Education). The empirical material is based on qualitative interviews and questionnaires where the students describe their learning-experience on the topic Communication and ethics, and what this means for their professional role and profession in general. The main question is how this study subject contributes towards students developing and strengthening their professional identity as paramedics. The analyses are based on socio-cultural theory about learning and identity being something that develops as an interaction between the individual and the surroundings. The intention is to accentuate how the subjective dimension with professional identity, to "become someone", is important in a program of professional study. One of the main findings in this study is that the students seem to have strengthened their professional identity as paramedic, while at the same time developing their communicative competences.