Journal of Modern Foreign Psychology
2025. Vol. 14, no. 4, 66–76
doi:10.17759/jmfp.2025140407
ISSN: 2304-4977 (online)
Becoming a psychologist at the stage of professional training
Abstract
Context and relevance. The period of professional training is the most important stage in the formation of a specialist, when key elements of professional self-awareness are formed, professional identity is formed, personal characteristics that are significant for future activities are developed and models of professional behavior are developed. In today's dynamically changing society and the growing demands for highly qualified specialists, the quality of professional education is of particular importance. This process requires the creation of special conditions in the educational environment that would maximize the development of the professional potential of future specialists. Objective. To analyze approaches to the construction of professional training of a psychologist at a university that contribute to his development as a professional Results. The findings indicated that three categories of professional educational activity can be distinguished, each exerting a distinct influence on student development outcomes. Conclusions. The importance of providing novice psychologists with the opportunity to start reconstructing their professional development model already at the initial stage of training is shown. This would allow, on the one hand, to use professional experience as a source material for subsequent theoretical understanding, and, on the other hand, to establish a dialogue between theory and practice in professional activities.
General Information
Keywords: professional development, professional identity, professional position, professional training, teaching methods, students
Journal rubric: Labour Psychology and Engineering Psychology
Article type: review article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/jmfp.2025140407
Received 17.11.2025
Revised 07.12.2025
Accepted
Published
For citation: Egorenko, T.A. (2025). Becoming a psychologist at the stage of professional training. Journal of Modern Foreign Psychology, 14(4), 66–76. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/jmfp.2025140407
© Egorenko T.A., 2025
License: CC BY-NC 4.0
References
- Бодров, В.А. (2016). Психологический подход к проблеме формирования профессионала. В: Психология субъекта профессиональной деятельности (с. 54—71). М.: Ярославль.
Bodrov, V.A. (2016). Psychological approach to the problem of professional development. In: Psychology of the subject of professional activity (pp. 54—71). Moscow: Yaroslavl. (In Russ.). - Деркач, А.А. (2004). Акмеологические основы развития профессионала. М.: Изд-во Моск. психол.-соц. ин-та.
Derkach, A.A. (2004). Acmeological foundations of professional development. Moscow: Publishing house of Moscow psychological-social institute. (In Russ.). - Егоренко, Т.А. (2024). Психологические детерминанты успешности профессионального становления психолога на стадии профессиональной подготовки. Мир науки. Педагогика и психология, 12(1), Статья 26.
Egorenko, T.A. (2024). Psychological determinants of the success of a psychologist’s professional development at the stage of professional training. World of Science. Pedagogy and Psychology, 12(1), Article 26. (In Russ.). - Егоренко, Т.А. (2023). Становление личностного компонента системогенеза психолога как субъекта труда и его психологическое благополучие на стадии профессиональной подготовки. Вестник Тверского государственного университета. Серия: Педагогика и психология, 4(65), 36—42. https://doi.org/10.26456/vtpsyped/2023.4.059
Egorenko, T.A. (2023). Formation of the personal component of the systemogenesis of a psychologist as a subject of labor and his psychological well-being at the stage of professional training. Vestnik Tverskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Seriya: Pedagogika i psikhologiya, 4(65), 36—42. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.26456/vtpsyped/2023.4.059 - Зеер, Э.Ф., Сыманюк, Э.Э. (2021). Теоретико-прикладные основания персонализированного образования: перспективы развития. Педагогическое образование в России, 1, 17—25. https://doi.org/10.26170/2079-8717_2021_01_02
Zeer, E.F. Symaniuk E.E. (2021). Theoretical and applied foundations of personalized education: development prospects. Pedagogical education in Russia, 1, 17—25. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.26170/2079-8717_2021_01_02 - Карпов, А.В. (2022). Метасистемная организация субъектных детерминант профессиональной деятельности. Вестник Ярославского государственного университета им. П.Г. Демидова. Серия: Гуманитарные науки, 16, 2(60), 312—325. https://doi.org/10.18255/1996-5648-2022-2-212-325
Karpov, A.V. (2022). Metasystemic organization of subjective determinants of professional activity. Vestnik Yaroslavskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta im. P.G. Demidova. Seriya: Gumanitarnye nauki. Series Humanitarian Sciences, 16, 2(60) 312—325. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.18255/1996-5648-2022-2-212-325 - Леньков, С.Л., Рубцова, Н.Е. (2022). Вариативность личностного и профессионального развития психологов. Психолого-педагогический поиск, 1(61), 143—159. https://doi.org/10.37724/RSU.2022.61.1.013
Lenkov, S.L., Rubtsova, N.E. (2022). Variability of personal and professional development of psychologists. Psychological and Pedagogical Search, 1(61). 143—159. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.37724/RSU.2022.61.1.013 - Поваренков, Ю.П. (2023). Системогенетический подход к определению и классификации опыта профессионала. Ярославский педагогический вестник, 1(130), 144—157. https://doi.org/10.20323/1813_145X_2023_1_130_144_157
Povarenkov, Yu.P. (2023). Systems-genetic approach to the definition and classification of professional experience. Yaroslavl pedagogical bulletin, 1(130), 144—157. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.20323/1813_145X_2023_1_130_144_157 - Шадриков, В.Д. (2004). Новая модель специалиста: инновационная подготовка и компетентностный подход. Высшее образование сегодня, 8, 26—31. (In Russ.).
Shadrikov, V.D. (2004). New model of a specialist: innovative training and competence-based approach. Vysshee obrazovanie segodnya, 8, 26—31. (In Russ.). - Шнейдер, Л.Б. (2009). Профессиональная идентичность как психолого-педагогическая проблема вузовской подготовки психологов-практиков. Актуальные проблемы психологического знания, 4(13), 49—58.
Schneider, L.B. (2009). Professional identity as a psychological and pedagogical problem of university training of practicing psychologists. Actual problems of psychological knowledge, 4(13). 49—58. (In Russ.). - Abrandt Dahlgren, M., Solbrekke, T.D., Karseth, B., Nystrom, S. (2014). From university to professional practice: Students as journeymen between cultures of education and work. In: S. Billett, C. Harteis, H. Gruber (Eds.), International handbook of research in professional and practice-based learning (pp. 461—484). New York; London: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8902-8_17
- Biehl, V., Wieber, F., Abegglen, D., Glassel, A. (2021). Professional identity formation in health promotion practitioners: Students’ perspectives during an undergraduate program in Switzerland. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(20), Article 10754. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182010754
- Blois, J.P. (2022). The self at stake. Sociologists and dirty work in Argentina. The American Sociologist, 53, 63—90. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12108-021-09525-w
- Chen, S.Y., Wu, C.Y., Chang, H.Y. (2022). Learning trajectories: Comparing the transitions of graduates of «Power Mechanical Engineering» and «Humanities and Social Sciences» programs. Industry and Higher Education, 36(3), 306—318. https://doi.org/10.1177/09504222211040426
- Croft, J., Benjamin, M., Conn, P., Serafin, J.M., Wiseheart, R. (2019). Writing in the disciplines and student pre-professional identity: An exploratory study. Across the Disciplines, 16(2), 34—53. https://doi.org/10.37514/ATD-J.2019.16.2.09
- Cruess, R.L., Cruess, S.R., Steinert, Y. (2018). Medicine as a community of practice: Implications for medical education. Academic Medicine, 93(2), 185—191. https://doi.org/10.1097/acm.0000000000001826
- Cruess, S. R., Cruess, R. L., Steinert, Y. (2019). Supporting the development of a professional identity: General principles. Medical Teacher, 41(6), 641—649. https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159X.2018.1536260
- Ducheny, K., Alletzhauser, H. L., Crandell, D., Schneider, T. R. (1997). Graduate student professional development. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 28(1), 87—91.
- Ellingsen, P., Tonholm, T., Johansen, F. R., Andersson, G. (2021). Learning from problem-based projects in cross-disciplinary student teams. Education Sciences, 11(6), Article 259. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11060259
- Elmose, M., Troelsen, R., Rottmann, N. (2023). Moving into communities of practice: Experiences of psychology students in their internship. Nordic Psychology, 76(3), 317—332. https://doi.org/10.1080/19012276.2023.2198114
- Ewan, C. (1988). Becoming a doctor. In: K. Cox, C. Ewan (Eds.), The medical teacher (pp. 83—87). Edinburgh; New York: Churchill Livingstone.
- Falgares, G., Venza, G., Guarnaccia, C. (2017). Learning psychology and becoming psychologists: Developing professional identity through group experiential learning. Psychology Learning and Teaching, 16(2), 232—247. https://doi.org/10.1177/1475725717695148
- Gazzola, N., De Stefano, J., Audet, C., Theriault, A. (2011). Professional identity among counselling psychology doctoral students: A qualitative investigation. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 24(4), 257—275. https://doi.org/10.1080/09515070.2011.630572
- Geller, S., Hanetz-Gamliel, K., Levy, S. (2023). Online group supervision in graduate psychology training during the COVID-19 pandemic. Online Learning Journal, 27(1), 451—467. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v27i1.3321
- Gruber, H., Lehtinen, E., Palonen, T., Degner, S. (2008). Persons in the shadow: Assessing the social context of high abilities. Psychology Science Quarterly, 50(2), 237—258.
- Jackson, D. (2016). Re-conceptualising graduate employability: The importance of pre-professional identity. Higher Education Research and Development, 35(5), 925—939. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2016.1139551
- Jarvis-Selinger, S., Pratt, D.D., Regehr, G. (2012). Competency is not enough: Integrating identity formation into the medical education discourse. Academic Medicine, 87(9), 1185—1190. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0b013e3182604968
- Knoetze, J.J., McCulloch, M. (2017). Reflections on becoming a psychologist: Professional development experiences of students in a South African psychology graduate program. Journal of Psychology in Africa, 27(5), 472—476. https://doi.org/10.1080/14330237.2017.1379223
- Kracen, A., Nelson, A., Michl, T., Rowold, M., Taylor, N., Raque, T.L. (2023). Perspectives of postdoctoral fellows: A qualitative study of clinical supervision in psycho-oncology. Psychological Services, 20(2), 206—218. https://doi.org/10.1037/ser0000740.
- Kullasepp, K. (2011). Creating my own way of being a psychologist. The Japanese Journal of Personality, 19(3), 217—232. https://doi.org/10.2132/personality.19.217
- Langrehr, K.J., Green, C.E., Lantz, M. (2017). The implications of doctoral students’ professional socialization experiences in graduate training. The Counseling Psychologist, 45(8), 1162—1183. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000017748588
- Lourens, H., Uren, S. (2023). The professional identity of intern psychologists during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa. Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, 13(5), 969—982. https://doi.org/10.1108/heswbl-08-2022-0164
- Lutovac, S., Kaasila, R., Petäjäniemi, M., Siira, V. (2022). How does mind—body bridging support professional identity development? International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance, 24, 151—172. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10775-022-09552-0
- Monereo, C., Caride, M. (2022). Becoming a professional: Analysis of the reciprocal influence between I-Positions and We-Positions in a group of university students. Journal of Constructivist Psychology, 35(4), 1347—1370. https://doi.org/10.1080/10720537.2021.1989095
- Nilsson, S. (2010). On the meaning of higher education in professional practice: The case of physicians and engineers. Journal of Education and Work, 23(3), 255—274. https://doi.org/10.1080/13639080.2010.486397
- Nystrom, S. (2009). Becoming a professional: A longitudinal study of graduates’ professional trajectories from higher education to working life: Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary. Linkoping University. Linkoping.
- Pach, J., Stoffels, M., Schoonmade, L., Ingen E., Kusurkar, R.A. (2025). The impact of educational activities on professional identity formation in social sciences and humanities: a scoping review. Educational Research Review, 48, Article 100704. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2025.100704
- Park, J.J., Schallert, D.L. (2020). Reciprocity between doctoral students’ emerging professional identity and their envisionment of a possible future self in real and imagined communities of practice. Learning, Culture and Social Interaction, 26, Article 100434. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lcsi.2020.100434
- Rønnestad, M.H., Skovholt, T.M. (2003). The journey of the counselor and therapist: Research findings and perspectives on professional development. Journal of Career Development, 30(1), 5—44. https://doi.org/10.1177/089484530303000102
- Ronfeldt, M., Grossman, P. (2008). Becoming a professional: Experimenting with possible selves in professional preparation. Teacher Education Quarterly, 35(3), 41—60. URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/23478980 (viewed: 15.11.2025).
- Svahn, E. (2021). Effects of source languages on Swedish translation students’ socialisation processes. The Interpreter and Translator Trainer, 15(2), 225—242. https://doi.org/10.1080/1750399X.2020.1868176
- Tal, R.B., Fenster, T., Kulka, T. (2015). Academy-community partnerships: Challenges and changes in Israeli urban regeneration projects. Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, 19(3), 63—88. URL: https://openjournals.libs.uga.edu/jheoe/article/view/1218 (viewed: 15.11.2025).
- Tomlinson, M., Jackson, D. (2021). Professional identity formation in contemporary higher education students. Studies in Higher Education, 46(4), 885—900. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2019.1659763
- Vähäsantanen, K. (2022). Professional identity in changing workplaces: Why it matters, when it becomes emotionally imbued, and how to support its agentic negotiations. In: C. Harteis, D. Gijbels, E. Kyndt (Eds.), Research approaches on workplace learning: Insights from a growing field (pp. 29—46). Cham: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-89582-2_2
- Valdez, C.E., Lovell, J.L. (2022). What psychology students want from service-learning. Teaching of Psychology, 49(3), 258—268. https://doi.org/10.1177/00986283211021075
- Veen, M., de la Croix, A. (2023). How to grow a professional identity: Philosophical gardening in the field of medical education. Perspectives on Medical Education, 12(1), 12—19. https://doi.org/10.5334/pme.367
- Verwer, S., van Braak, M. (2022). Subjectification in health professions education: Why we should look beyond the idea of professional identity formation. In: M.E.L. Brown, M. Veen, G.M. Finn (Eds.), Applied philosophy for health professions education: A journey towards mutual understanding (pp. 23—37). Singapore: Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-1512-3_3
- Wilkins, E.B. (2020). Facilitating professional identity development in healthcare education. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 162, 57—69. https://doi.org/10.1002/tl.20391
Information About the Authors
Metrics
Web Views
Whole time: 5
Previous month: 0
Current month: 5
PDF Downloads
Whole time: 1
Previous month: 0
Current month: 1
Total
Whole time: 6
Previous month: 0
Current month: 6