When it is not assessed, it risks becoming marginal: Student Development Programmes and curriculum legitimacy in undergraduate medical education

Abstract Student development programmes (SDPs) are increasingly incorporated into undergraduate medical curricula to foster communication, professionalism, teamwork, ethical reasoning and reflective practice. However, when these activities are mandatory but do not contribute to academic credit or progression decisions, their educational importance may be perceived as limited. This conceptual perspective examines the relationship between developmental recognition and curriculum legitimacy in competency‐based undergraduate medical education. Drawing on educational theory and professional experience within an undergraduate‐entry bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery programme in India, the article explores how curriculum enactment, faculty agency, student engagement and institutional practices influence the perceived value of SDPs. It argues that the absence of meaningful developmental recognition may contribute to a gap between the intended and enacted curriculum. At the same time, excessive formalisation or high‐stakes assessment of professionalism and reflection may encourage performative behaviour and undermine authentic learning. A balanced approach is therefore proposed, incorporating longitudinal formative feedback, mentoring, reflective portfolios and narrative assessment while preserving protected, ungraded learning opportunities. Reframing SDPs as a matter of curriculum legitimacy rather than grading alone may strengthen their integration into undergraduate medical education and support professional identity formation. This perspective offers a conceptual basis for further empirical investigation across medical and other health‐profession programmes.