Place-Identity in boundaryless careers: Narratives of medical students from lower socio-economic class backgrounds

Abstract

Medical schools are working to widen access to students from lower socio-economic backgrounds, particularly through targeted recruitment within under-doctored regions of the UK. Drawing upon recent research, this article explores ways that place-identity theory can be helpful to career professionals, particularly when thinking about the extent to which where individuals are from influences where they (can) go and what they might need to sacrifice to get there. Bounded student narratives expose the ‘dark side’ of the social mobility agenda and clash with the quasi-colonial ‘world is your oyster’ rhetoric of the boundaryless career. Implications for practice are discussed.