When a person leaves university and makes the transition into the labour market they become a professional; however, it may be some time before they psychologically adapt to their new surroundings and feel that they have truly become a 'professional'. It is believed that an inability to develop this new sense of identity is a serious barrier to fulfilling ones potential in the workplace. In the medical sphere, it is very particularly important that students quickly become comfortable in a hospital environment and identify themselves as professionals and not students. The Professional Self Identity Questionnaire (PSIQ) was developed to measure this sense of professional identity and is thus a useful tool in assessing the transition from student to professional.