An interpretative phenomenological analysis of impostor syndrome in medical students from low socio-economic backgrounds

Abstract

Impostor Syndrome is generally considered to be the feeling one gets when they believe themselves to be inadequate for the position that they are in, considering themselves to have attained that position through luck or administrative error. While its colloquial use is most often in reference to intelligence or ability, anecdotal evidence suggested that students from low socio-economic or ethnically diverse backgrounds often felt like impostors because of these characteristics instead. Due to recruitment and retention issues within the NHS, UK medical schools are being encouraged to expand, meaning that Widening Participation programmes to encourage applications from underrepresented populations are becoming ever more popular. While an increase in the diversity of medical professionals is a positive step forward, it necessitates a better understanding of the psychological experiences of these groups to maximise well-being and improve the medical school and medical career experiences of all future doctors.
In this study, semi-structured interviews were held with six medical students who met the eligibility criteria for a Widening Participation to Medicine programme, meaning that they all come from low socio-economic backgrounds. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to first explore the interviews idiographically, and then all six interviews to develop cross-case findings.
Concordant themes across all participants were ‘The Impact of Others’, ‘Attitudes’ and ‘Challenges’, while the themes of ‘Feelings’ and ‘Extra-Curriculars’ were only present in a subset of participants. Key findings indicated that Impostor Syndrome manifested differently across participants: while some were concerned that they were not intelligent enough to succeed at medical school, others were confident in their academic abilities but exhibited concerns about how their ethnicity or socio-economic background meant that they didn’t fit the stereotype of a medical professional.
Participants’ discussions of experiences that ‘triggered’ Impostor Syndrome demonstrated the ongoing impact of seemingly innocuous events or interactions with others. Some participants also described ways in which they tackled feelings of Impostor Syndrome through taking active steps to improve their attainment. While these were effective at reducing Impostor Syndrome in terms of academic ability, when Impostor Syndrome was experienced due to having a certain background, suggested measures to mitigate it all required external, systemic change.
These findings highlight the need for both institutional and individual responsibility to be taken in order for Impostor Syndrome to be adequately addressed, and to ensure that students of all backgrounds are made to feel welcomed and valued.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Chloe Langford: orcid.org/0000-0001-9489-5586

ORCID for Sally Curtis: orcid.org/0000-0002-8026-6284

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