The impostor phenomenon in general practice/family medicine residents in Central Portugal, in 2022

Autores

  • Ana Pilar Pereira MD, Médica do Internato Geral em Medicina. Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Coimbra. Coimbra, Portugal. https://orcid.org/0009-0006-4600-3719
  • Luiz Miguel Santiago Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Coimbra Clínica Universitária de Medicina Geral e Familiar da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Coimbra USF Topázio, ACES Baixo Mondego https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9343-2827
  • José Augusto Simões MD, PhD. Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Coimbra. Coimbra, Portugal | Direção do Internato de Medicina Geral e Familiar do Centro de Portugal. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2264-7086

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32385/rpmgf.v40i6.13786

Palavras-chave:

Impostor Phenomenon, CIPS, General practice residents, PHG-4

Resumo

Background:  The impostor phenomenon (IP) characterizes individuals unable to recognize their success, attributing it to luck or assuming it was a mistake. Mental health problems can then occur. IP is most frequent in individuals with high academic and professional success, such as medical students and health professionals.

Aim: To determine the prevalence of IP among general practice residents in Central Portugal, from the 1st to the 4th year of residency, in 2022, and its association with gender, year of residency, distress, anxiety, depression, and satisfaction with the average mark of the residency.

Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was performed in a convenience sample. The Centre of Portugal Board of Residency in Family Medicine sent an invitation to respond to a Google questionnaire with the CIPS and PHQ-4 scales and questions about gender, year of residency, and satisfaction with the average mark of the residency. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed.

Results: A sample of 62 (69.7%) of 89 participants was studied. 12.9% of respondents were experiencing few, 22.6% moderate, 43.5% frequent, and 21% intense impostor feelings, with females suffering significantly more from IP (p=0.036). The Spearman’s correlation between PHQ-4 and CIPS was very weak and not significant (ρ=0.085, p=0.511).

Discussion: With no other Portuguese data to compare with the present ones, possible explanations for a low response rate can have to do with fear of suffering IP, fear of showing the sufferance of IP, and answering the questionnaire and not sending it for fear.

Conclusion: IP with a score at or above moderate has been detected in 87.1% of the residents. Women are more affected. No correlations were discovered between IP, distress, year of residency, and satisfaction with the average of the residentship. There is a need to recognize and manage IP, at both individual and institutional levels.

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Biografia do Autor

  • Luiz Miguel Santiago, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Coimbra Clínica Universitária de Medicina Geral e Familiar da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Coimbra USF Topázio, ACES Baixo Mondego

    Luiz Miguel de Mendonça Soares Santiago é Licenciado em Medicina pela Universidade de Coimbra desde 1979, Mestre em Saúde Pública pela Universidade de Coimbra desde 2006 e Doutorado por unanimidade com distinção e louvor, pela Universidade de Coimbra, na Especialidade de Sociologia Médica, ramo de Medicina Preventiva e Comunitária desde 11/11/2009.

    É desde1/7/2017 Professor Associado da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Coimbra, regendo as Unidades Curriculares de MISP IV, 3º Ano e de Medicina Geral e Familiar, 5º Ano.

    Desde 30 de Janeiro de 2018 tem o título de "Agregado".

    Médico, especialista em Medicina Geral e Familiar, é Consultor com o Grau de Assistente Graduado Sénior da Carreira de Medicina Geral e Familiar desde 2002, sendo orientador no Internato Complementar de Medicina Geral e Familiar desde 2006, tendo exercido na Unidade de Saúde Familiar Topázio em Coimbra, onde ainda continua actividade clínica, agora reduzida.

    Professor Associado Convidado da Universidade da Beira Interior, onde é regente das cadeiras de CSP I, II e III entre 2011 e 2017.

    Desde 2014 até 2017 foi Professor Adjunto Convidado da Coimbra Health Scholl lecionando Patologia Geral.   

    Membro da Academia Europeia de Professores em Medicina Geral e Familiar (EURACT) é orientador de Teses de Mestrado Integrado e de Mestrado Pré-Bolonha bem como de Doutoramento, na Universidade de Coimbra (2) e na Universidade da Beira Interior (6).

    É membro da Comissão de Ética da ARS do Centro.

    Tem vasta bibliografia publicada individualmente e em co-autoria em revistas nacionais e internacionais com “revisores-par” e indexadas (27 artigos).

    Desde março de 2017 é membro investigador do CEISUC, FEUC.

    Em Novembro de 2017 é eleito sócio correspondente da Academia Nacional de Medicina.

    Aguarda a marcação de Provas de Agregação a serem prestadas na Universidade da Beira Interior.

Referências

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9. Oriel K, Plane MB, Mundt M. Family medicine residents and the impostor phenomenon. Fam Med. 2004;36(4):248-52.

10. Yaffe Y. Validation of the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale with female Hebrew-speaking students. J Exp Psychopathol. 2020;11(4):2043808720974341.

11. Thomas M, Bigatti S. Perfectionism, impostor phenomenon, and mental health in medicine: a literature review. Int J Med Educ. 2020;11:201-13.

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13. Löwe B, Wahl I, Rose M, Spitzer C, Glaesmer H, Wingenfeld K, et al. A 4-item measure of depression and anxiety: validation and standardization of the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) in the general population. J Affect Disord. 2010;122(1-2):86-95.

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15. Clance PR. Clance IP scale [Internet]. In: The impostor phenomenon: when success makes you feel like a fake. Toronto: Bantam Books; 1985. p. 20-2. Available from: https://paulineroseclance.com/pdf/IPTestandscoring.pdf

16. Legassie J, Zibrowski EM, Goldszmidt MA. Measuring resident well-being: impostorism and burnout syndrome in residency. J Gen Intern Med. 2008;23(7):1090-4.

17. Ruivo MS. Cross-cultural adaptation and validation for European Portuguese of the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale [dissertation]. Coimbra: Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Coimbra; 2022. Available from: https://hdl.handle.net/10316/102511

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Publicado

07-01-2025

Como Citar

The impostor phenomenon in general practice/family medicine residents in Central Portugal, in 2022. (2025). Revista Portuguesa De Medicina Geral E Familiar, 40(6), 573-80. https://doi.org/10.32385/rpmgf.v40i6.13786

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