Becoming a palliative care physician: how reflective learning shapes professional identity in postgraduate training – a qualitative study

Objective This study aimed to explore how postgraduate physicians experience and articulate their professional development through reflective writing in a national palliative care training programme in Denmark. Methods A descriptive qualitative study was conducted, analysing data from 28 experienced physicians across various clinical specialties using a reflexive thematic analysis. Participants submitted two mandated reflective assignments focusing on changes in their clinical practice, decision-making processes, and perceived impacts on colleagues and patients. Results Six interrelated themes were developed: (1) reflection: from requirement to practice; (2) learning how to learn: stop to think about what is going on; (3) becoming together: belonging as a condition for personal change; (4) when learning lives outside the classroom: integrating reflection into everyday practice; (5) when disciplines interact: reconfiguring how physicians understand medicine; and (6) speaking hope: humility and professional awareness. Across these themes, participants described a shift from initial resistance towards sustained reflective engagement, leading to greater professional confidence, relational humility and an expanded understanding of patient care. Conclusions Reflective learning within postgraduate palliative care education catalysed significant transformations in participants’ professional identities and clinical approaches. This process led to enhanced collaborative understanding, a deeper engagement with patient experiences and a robust capacity to navigate uncertainty in healthcare settings. These findings suggest that prioritising reflective practices in palliative care education is essential for developing healthcare professionals capable of effectively supporting individuals facing serious illness and the complexities of human suffering.