Creating health systems citizens: enhanced professional identity formation through a para-curricular distinction track in health systems transformation and leadership

Themes from this study suggest that the LINC program fostered critical thinking, leadership, and a systems perspective early in training. Enhanced educational experiences in HSS can accelerate professional identity formation as change agents, with the potential for curricular expansion to include all medical students. Future efforts are needed for advancing assessments, tracking longitudinal outcomes, and collaborating across institutions to identify best practices in developing medical students as "systems-citizens."