Paper Title
The Professional Formation Concept from The Viewpoints of Experts in Medical Education: A Qualitative Study

Abstract
Background: Knowing and understanding the views of medical educators about the concept of professional formation are requirements of appropriate policy making and educational planning in this field. Given multiple conceptualizations of professional formation of medical students in different context, in this research developed the conceptual components model of the professional formation with respect to indigenous medical culture from the viewpoints of experts in medical education. Methods: This qualitative study with thematic content analysis approach was performed in 2015. Six experts in medical education in Iranian Universities of Medical Sciences were selected through purposive sampling method and then participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews. MAXQDA 11 software was used for content analysis. Guba and Lincoln’s standards of rigor and trustworthiness were respected in this study. Results: The main theme “professional formation of medical students” was identified and associated categories were extracted including: Supply the prerequisites professional formation, considering to the components and elements of professional formation, Educational interventions for students' professional formation and measuring and judging professional development. Conclusion: Learning and training can influence in professional formation process. The environment of students' professional formation must be authentic and reflective and well managed to meet the direct interaction with role models leads to progressive immersing the students in their professional roles. Keywords - Professionalism, Education, Medical, Undergraduate, Qualitative Research.