Do sonographers have a professional identity?

Professional identity can be defined as a person's perception of themselves as a professional and is based on values, beliefs, motives, experiences and attributes. It has been described as internal standards which regulate the professionals work. The foundations for development of the professional identity are built early in life and are influenced by previous life experiences. Whilst there was much literature published on professional identity related to other health professions there has been very little published in relation to radiography and even less to sonography. This development of a professional 'self' through experiences and interactions with others for sonographers can therefore be explored by drawing on similarities from the literature in other health professions.