Professional Identity Formation in Traditional Chinese Medicine Students: An Educational Perspective using Triple-Valued Neutrosophic Set

Abstract

 Professional identity formation (PIF) is a critical aspect of medical education, shaping 
how students internalize the values, knowledge, and behaviors of their chosen field. In the context 
of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), where healing is deeply intertwined with philosophy, 
culture, and ethical practice, PIF takes on a unique and multifaceted character. This paper 
explores the educational structures, pedagogical strategies, and experiential components that 
influence the professional identity development of TCM students. It highlights the importance of 
cultural immersion, reflective practice, mentorship, and integrated clinical exposure in nurturing 
a cohesive sense of professional self within the context of TCM’s historical and philosophical 
underpinnings. This study uses the Triple-Valued Neutrosophic Set (TVNS) to deal with 
uncertainty and vague information. TVNS has five membership functions such as truth, 
indeterminacy for truth, indeterminacy neither truth nor falsity, indeterminacy for falsity, and 
falsity. We show case study with five criteria and ten alternatives. 

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15773799