PEER REVIEWED TEACHING TARGET

MANY SUCCESSFUL HIGH-ACHIEVERS, INCLUDING VETERINARY

PROFESSIONALS, EXPERIENCE THE FEAR OF BEING CONSIDERED A FRAUD,
BUT THERE ARE WAYS TO OVERCOME IMPOSTOR SYNDROME.

The conference room is filling up, and I start to get

nervous as the moderator introduces me—not
because I am about to speak to hundreds of fellow
veterinarians, which I love to do, but because I fear
I will be considered a fraud. I start thinking of all the

Overcoming things I do not know and become paranoid that

someone will ask me something that stumps me or

Impostor I do not feel qualified to answer. I have to force myself

to change the direction of my thoughts before I fall

Syndrome apart. I do know what I am talking about, I am good at

what I do, and if there is something I do not know, it is
okay. After all, everyone is here to learn! I begin my
presentation and before I know it, 50 minutes have
Mary Gardner, DVM
Lap of Love passed and I can hear applause.
Yorba Linda, California
This is an example of Impostor Syndrome.

April 2016 Veterinary Team Brief 51

PEER REVIEWED

I
mpostor Syndrome occurs doubt their own expertise.
when a person feels most
vulnerable and has doubts These tips can help combat Impostor
about his or her confi- Syndrome:
dence to perform the task
at hand. The term Impos- !R ecognize your expertise and
tor Syndrome was coined value: You got where you are today
decades ago by 2 Ameri- not by luck but through intelli-
can psychologists, Pauline gence, hard work, studying hard,
Clance and Suzanne Imes, who and overachieving. You do know
described it as a feeling of unwor- what you are talking about. Your
thiness in people who believe they input has value to society.
are not intelligent, capable, or !C oncentrate on what you do
creative despite evidence of high well: No one is good at everything,
achievement.1 Many feel their nor can someone know everything.
success is due to luck or a fluke. However, you can be a source of
The most common clinical symp- intelligence and talent for many
toms are generalized anxiety, things! Keep a list of your great
depression, lack of self-confidence, accomplishments, the compliments
and frustration, according to people give you, and the accolades
Impostor Clance and Imes. you receive. When in doubt, read
Syndrome the list to remind yourself of your
commonly Oddly, Impostor Syndrome com-
monly affects high-achieving
accomplishments. Overconfidence
is not the goal. Feelings of self-im-
affects individuals and those who have been portance and perfectionism are
high-achieving pressured to succeed. Research building blocks for Impostor
Syndrome, and learning to let
individuals subjects have been medical students,
nurses, women who have earned them go helps reduce your fears
and those who PhDs, and students who have been and concerns about being consid-
have been recognized for academic excellence, ered a fraud.
many of whom did not feel any !R ealize that no one is perfect:
pressured to internal sense of success.2 You can strive for perfection, but
succeed. know it is an unachievable goal.
Some researchers believe the You can admire someone for his or
syndrome is more pronounced in her achievements but do not forget
women3—who make up approxi- you have your own list of great
mately 80% of graduating classes qualities. Note that being wrong
—which puts those in the veteri- does not make a person a fake or
nary field on the front lines. Many phony. Eventually, even the best
women do not take accountability sports team loses a game.
for their knowledge. For example, !  now that failing is not a failure:
K
they begin a sentence with I think Recognize that microfailures
to soften their tone or because they throughout life are learning

52 veterinaryteambrief.com April 2016

Impostor Syndrome is a feeling
of phoniness in people who believe
they are not intelligent, capable,
or creative despite evidence of
high achievement.

experiences that can be overcome. that can help defeat Impostor

More knowledge often is gained Syndrome, and when to use them,
from failure than from success. will prevent being overcome by
!T
 alk to those whom you respect: feelings of inadequacy. n
Many people likely respect you and
References
can offer sound advice when you 1. Clance PR. The Impostor Phenomenon:
are unable to recognize your Overcoming the Fear that Haunts Your Success.
Atlanta, GA; Peachtree Publishers; 1985.
self-worth. Find a mentor you can 2. Ghorbanshirodi S. The relationship between
self-esteem and emotional intelligence with
rely on in times of self-doubt. Impostor Syndrome among medical students of Test Yourself
 o not hold back: The world is
!D Guilan and Heratsi Universities. J Basic Appl Sci
Res. 2012;2(2);1793-1802. Take a self-quiz to check whether you
lucky to have you. Do not hold 3. Clance PR, Imes SA. The impostor phenomenon may be prone Impostor Syndrome. Go
back—make sure you are part of it! in high achieving women: Dynamics and to: http://paulineroseclance.com/
therapeutic intervention. Psychother-Theor Res. pdf/IPTestandscoring.pdf
 eek help: Professional guidance
!S 1978;15(3):241-247.
and support can be extremely
beneficial. Too often people think
reaching out to a professional is a
sign of failure, but it takes a strong TEAM
person to seek help. Anxiety and TAKEAWAYS:
depression are a real concern in the
veterinary profession, and individ- Veterinarians & Management Team: If you believe that any team
ual or group sessions can be members do not recognize their self-worth, act as a mentor to help them
life-changing. overcome their self-doubt.
Nursing Team: Veterinary nurses have special skills and do many things
Conclusion well. Make a list of your achievements and, when feeling a lack of
confidence, read the list and remind yourself of your accomplishments.
Every veterinary team member is
knowledgeable, dedicated, under- Client Care Team: Client care team members are often on the front lines
and need to act fast and to multitask. Know that achieving perfection is
standing, and compassionate—a skill impossible and doing your best at all times is enough.
set many desire. Impostor Syndrome
may be more widespread than is
generally recognized, even in the
challenging veterinary profession,
which can be an emotional roller
coaster. However, knowing the tools

April 2016 Veterinary Team Brief 53