Imposter Syndrome in Veterinary Education? How Knowledge and Confidence Affect Treatment of Canine Atopic Dermatitis

Anecdotal data suggest that clinicians can be confused about the indications, advantages, and disadvantages of treatment options for canine atopic dermatitis (CAD). This may be due to the varying levels of knowledge and confidence among clinicians at different stages of their training and careers. A lack of evidence-based studies of confidence when applying knowledge in veterinary education inspired this research. We surveyed 75 Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies (R(D)SVS) final-year students, 34 general practitioners (GPs), 70 GPs that have undertaken continuing professional development in dermatology, 34 advanced dermatology practitioners (e.g., interns and residents), and 15 dermatology specialists using an online questionnaire with Likert-type scales for each response. Correlations between the levels of education, sources of knowledge about managing CAD, and their understanding of different treatment options were analyzed; p < .001 was deemed significant. The results revealed a significant lack of confidence among students and GPs in treating CAD. In contrast, the groups generally had a similar level of understanding of the management options. The exception to this was a lack of understanding about ciclosporin and antihistamines among students and veterinarians with less dermatology experience. Targets for intervention should therefore aim to improve confidence in clinical application rather than knowledge per se in undergraduate and post-graduate education. Improving confidence in managing CAD will improve the welfare of atopic dogs and their owners.