Best of the Faculty Factory: Grappling with Imposter Phenomenon in Academic Medicine

Whether you refer to it as “imposter syndrome” or the “imposter phenomenon,” one thing is abundantly clear: you are not alone when it comes to dealing with it as a professional in academic medicine.

This week on the Faculty Factory Podcast, we are blending together two incredible interviews from our archives that dissect this phenomenon with the precision and evidence-based arguments we cherish here on our podcast for a very special “best of” episode.

First up, we hear from Cynthia Rand, PhD, who discusses imposter syndrome and how it can impact leadership roles in academia, including the tendency for individuals to make dispositional attributions to others and situational attributions to ourselves—which can exacerbate feelings of being an imposter.

Next up, it's Donna L. Vogel, MD, PhD, who joined the Faculty Factory to share timeless advice on dealing with imposter syndrome, centered around her succinct takeaways for overcoming it over the long term as a faculty member.

Both interviews we've clipped for this “best of” broadcast can help faculty members (especially those who are transitioning into a new role) and this advice is applicable to overcoming imposter syndrome in any environment.

Interested in hearing the full conversations from these episodes? Click on the links below to explore each episode in its entirety:

• Episode 197 – Imposter Syndrome and Leadership Roles in Academia with Cynthia Rand, PhD
• Episode 84 – Overcoming Imposter Syndrome with Donna L. Vogel, MD, PhD