PSYCHOLOGICAL READINESS AS AN INTEGRATIVE RESOURCE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN FUTURE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS

Abstract

The article examines the formation of psychological readiness for professional activity in future medical specialists during their educational training. The phenomenological nature of psychological readiness is analyzed as an integrated functional system comprising motivational, cognitive, emotional-volitional, and behavioral components that collectively determine the capacity for effective professional performance, decision-making, stress resilience, and the development of other essential competencies in future healthcare professionals. The study elucidates the mechanisms underlying the gradual development of psychological readiness within the educational process and clinical training. The findings highlight the importance not only of a high level of theoretical and practical knowledge but also of the active development of soft skills that enable the effective application of medical knowledge in patient care. The significance of simulation-based tasks, reflective practices, communication experiences with patients, and integration into the professional community is emphasized. Particular attention is given to the development of emotional self-regulation, stress tolerance, and professional identity, which are shaped through direct engagement in real clinical situations. The educational environment is conceptualized as a developmental space for cultivating professional agency, within which students gradually internalize not only knowledge but also values, ethical principles, and behavioral models. The article outlines the dynamic transition from external functional adaptation to internalized professional involvement. Psychological readiness is presented not as a simple outcome of completing an academic curriculum but as a deeply experienced and structured capacity to act responsibly, coherently, and emotionally stably under constant interpersonal and moral challenges. The article underscores the necessity of targeted preparation for psycho-emotional challenges inherent to the medical profession through the development of emotional intelligence, reflective skills, emotional differentiation, acceptance of professional uncertainty, and the implementation of supervision practices. The theoretical and methodological foundations of the study draw upon concepts of professional development, agency, self-regulation, psychological resilience, and emotional intelligence.