Imposter Syndrome Relation to Gender Across Osteopathic Medical Schools

This study explores the rate of Imposter Syndrome (IS) in osteopathic medical students specifically in regard to gender. Additionally, we compare IS with previous performance on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and undergraduate science GPA. IS has been described as a psychological term that refers to a pattern of behavior wherein people doubt their abilities and have a persistent fear of being exposed as a fraud regardless of adequate external evidence of success. Females in professional fields have been shown to experience IS at a significantly higher rate than their male counterparts, the cause of which is unknown. We performed an anonymous survey distributed to osteopathic medical students in the USA from the classes of 2020-2023. The final data included information from 23 classes across 9 osteopathic medical schools. Students were asked eight questions from the Young Imposter Scale questionnaire to determine if a student had IS. Students were also asked to provide MCAT scores and undergraduate science GPA information. This study confirms that female osteopathic medical students experience IS at a higher rate than their male counterparts. This phenomenon is not dependent on gender ratios in medical school classes, nor is it dependent on previous student success on the MCAT or undergraduate science GPA. This indicates that medical schools need to be aware of IS throughout the student population, not just high-achieving individuals. IS is a significant problem in medical education, which can lead to physician burnout and deteriorating well-being.

Taking the VITALS to Interrupt Microaggressions

INTRODUCTION

Microaggressions are subtle statements or actions that reinforce stereotypes. Medical students, residents, and faculty report experiences of microaggressions, with higher incidences among women and marginalized groups. An educational tool utilizing the acronym VITALS (validate, inquire, take time, assume, leave opportunities, speak up) provided a framework for processing and addressing microaggressions encountered in the academic health center environment.

METHODS

We developed a 60-minute workshop designed to raise awareness of microaggressions encountered by medical students and trainees. The workshop consisted of a didactic presentation and multiple interactive exercises shared in small- and large-group formats. Participants also completed pre- and postsurvey instruments to assess changes in their knowledge and attitudes about promoting an environment that prevents microaggressions from occurring.

RESULTS

There were 176 participants who completed our workshop. In comparing anonymized pre- and postworkshop responses submitted by attendees, an increase in recognition of one's own potential stereotypical beliefs about social identity groups was observed. Participants also expressed a greater sense of empowerment to foster mutual respect in health care settings. After completing the workshop, attendees indicated a greater likelihood to engage in difficult conversations, including responding to microaggressions, which both peers and superiors encountered in both academic and clinical environments.

DISCUSSION

The workshop provided an interactive format for medical students and trainees to gain awareness, knowledge, and tools for addressing microaggressions encountered in health care settings.

Do I Belong Here? Confronting Imposter Syndrome at an Individual, Peer, and Institutional Level in Health Professionals

INTRODUCTION

Imposter syndrome (IS) is a feeling of being an intellectual fraud and is common among health professionals, particularly those underrepresented in medicine. IS is accompanied by burnout, self-doubt, and beliefs of decreased success. This workshop aims to discuss the impact of IS and develop strategies to confront IS at the individual, peer, and institutional levels.

METHODS

During the 75-minute interactive workshop, participants listened to didactics and engaged in individual reflection, small-group case discussion, and large-group instruction. Workshop participants and facilitators included medical students, residents, fellows, faculty, staff, and program leadership. Anonymous postworkshop evaluations exploring participants' satisfaction and intentions to change their behavior were collected. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data, and content analysis was used to analyze participants' intentions to change their behavior.

RESULTS

The workshop was presented at three local academic conferences and accepted at one national conference. Data were collected from 92 participants. Ninety-two percent of participants felt the workshop met its objectives, and 90% felt the workshop was a valuable use of their time. Furthermore, 90% of participants stated they would apply information learned at the workshop in the future. The participants indicated an intent to change behavior on individual, peer, and institutional levels, while recognizing that barriers exist at all those levels.

DISCUSSION

This workshop proved to be an effective means to discuss strategies on how to address IS at the individual, peer, and institutional levels. The materials can be adapted for relevance to various audiences.

Graceful Self-Promotion: The impact of a short faculty development session

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Self-promotion can be challenging for physicians who are looking to advance their careers. While they want to make their successes in the workplace known, they are afraid of coming off as aggressive and turning off the people that they are trying to impress with their accomplishments. This dilemma led to the coining of the term "graceful self-promotion" (GSP), a method of making one's accomplishments and abilities visible with tact and humility. The Division of General Internal Medicine at the University of Florida undertook a faculty development session focusing on GSP skills. The session started with participants interacting with each other using Bingo cards which listed GSP strategies in order to facilitate discussion. This was followed by an interactive discussion on barriers to career advancement and strategies to practice GSP. Changes in physician knowledge regarding self-promotion techniques and attitudes towards its importance were assessed using statistical tests from responses to pre- and post-surveys. We measured a positive change in physician attitudes towards their ability to self-promote following the information session (p-value < 0.005). Perceptions about the importance of self-promotion activities improved as well (p-value < 0.005). Participants comments revealed greater understanding of need for networking, developing a spirit of generativity, and having a prepared Elevator Speech. In this era where pressure to generate clinical revenue allows for limited faculty development time even a short 1-hour session can create awareness about importance of GSP for academic advancement, strategies for participants to use, and awareness of barriers to GSP.