Imposter phenomenon among health professionals and students: A protocol for systematic review and meta analysis

Abstract

Health professionals and medical students are at increased risk of the imposter phenomenon (IP) in other words, the imposter syndrome, due to the challenging nature of their professions. It is particularly concerning since it is linked to a higher incidence of burnout and suicidal ideation. We must first thoroughly grasp its prevalence and associated factors to address this issue. However, no published review of the data includes a meta-analysis to help understand the character and associated factors of IP among medical workers and medical students. This study aims to investigate IP prevalence and risk factors among healthcare personnel. Five online databases will be searched for papers published in English between January 2000 and December 2022, and 2 independent reviewers will filter, select studies, extract data, and evaluate the risk of bias in each piece. The retrieved articles will be included based on strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. A third reviewer will decide on any disagreements between the 2 reviewers. Where appropriate, a meta-analysis will be conducted using the random-effects model. The heterogeneity of the studies will be examined, and a sensitivity analysis will be done depending on the study quality. The purpose of this review is to determine the prevalence and risk factors for IP among healthcare personnel. The review’s findings will emphasize the severity and contributing factors of the problem, therefore guiding policy for future actions.

Prevalence and correlates of imposter syndrome and self-esteem among medical students at Jazan University, Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study

“…Imposter Syndrome is typified by a persistent sense of self-doubt and a fear of being exposed as a fraud despite clear evidence of success. This syndrome is often observed in high achievers and can harm their mental health and well-being [ 3 , 37 ]. We aimed in this study to investigate the prevalence of IS and SE among medical students at Jazan University, Saudi Arabia, compare their prevalence across genders, academic years, and examine their relationship with sociodemographic characteristics.…”

Medical Oncologists with Imposter Syndrome Suffer from Burnout

“…Most of the studies in the literature have focused on early-career physicians, such as medical students and residents. However, the incidence of IS in medical professionals ranges from 22% to 70.3% [3,8,[11][12][13][14]. There are numerous parameters de ned as risk factors for IS.…”

“…The IS may result in psychological distress, emotional suffering, and signi cant mental health issues, such as persistent dysphoric stress, anxiety, and depression [19]. In addition, it may cause low selfesteem, maladaptive perfectionism, poor sleep quality, quitting training, and suicidal ideas [13,20]. It has also been associated with Burnout(BO), characterized by the emotional exhaustion of individuals in their careers, depersonalization toward other individuals, and a decrease in the sense of personal accomplishments [21].…”