Educators’ reflections on developing and facilitating a professional pledge ceremony for first-year radiography students

Abstract

Taking a pledge in the health profession is a symbol of commitment to uphold the ethical standards, responsibilities, and values associated with that field. This can be viewed as a promise to the public you serve, affirming your commitment to uphold professional integrity, patient care, and patient wellbeing. First-year students begin their clinical rotations around June/July each year, following a few months of theoretical and practical instruction on campus. Hence, they start working with patients from very early in their learning journey. While most institutions view oath-taking and pledge ceremonies as a rite of passage into the profession, they are often conducted at the end of the final year of study. However, we decided to introduce this to our first-year students before they commence with the first clinical rotation. At our higher education institution, this was the first time a pledge ceremony was introduced into the programme. During the conceptualisation phase, we viewed the professional pledge through the lenses of the Professional Identity Formation (PIF) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). These theories highlight how identity, intention and behaviour shape professional practice. These theories guided the development of the pledge and the design of a meaningful ceremony. Our focus was not only on the words spoken in the pledge but also on various elements during the ceremony, which further highlight the professional core values. Notably, since the introduction of the pledge into our programme, we have observed changes in students' behaviour in class and during clinical practice. Additionally, we have witnessed heightened enthusiasm, professionalism, and a stronger sense of community among the students. The purpose of this educator piece is to share our experiences and thought process of developing a pledge ceremony for first-year students with the aim of guiding other educators who might want to undertake a similar ceremony. Plain language summary: Many health professionals take a pledge to show their commitment to ethical care and respect for the people they serve. This study describes a pledge ceremony held for first-year radiography students before they met patients during training. This study found that after the pledge was introduced, educators observed more professional behaviour, greater enthusiasm, and a stronger sense of community during classes and clinical training. This matters because focusing on professional values early can help shape responsible practice and support safe, respectful patient care.