Impostor syndrome and its association with anatomical self-efficacy in medical students in Turkiye

Impostor syndrome is particularly prevalent among high-achieving individuals, making medical students a prime target for this condition. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of impostor syndrome among medical students in Turkiye and to examine the associated demographic characteristics. Additionally, by investigating the relationship between impostor syndrome and anatomical self-efficacy, this study aimed to explore how impostor syndrome impacts the anatomical learning process of medical students. At the University of Health Sciences Medical Faculty, a randomly selected cohort of students from the second to sixth years was administered the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS) and the Anatomy Self-Efficacy Perception Scale alongside questions about their demographic characteristics. The final study included 121 women and 76 men. 43.7% of the participants were identified as having significant or intense impostor syndrome (SIF). Among students with low or very low anatomical self-efficacy, 71.4% exhibited SIF, 28.6% had moderate impostor experiences (MIE), and none displayed few impostor characteristics (FIC). Further analysis revealed that among students with high anatomical self-efficacy, FIC, MIE, and SIF rates were 31.2%, 50%, and 18.8%, respectively (p < 0.05). This study examined previously unstudied medical students, despite their likelihood of being targeted by impostor syndrome. The findings suggest that the possibility of experiencing impostor syndrome increases with the prevalence of low anatomical self-efficacy. However, moderate or high self-efficacy students are not entirely exempt from impostor feelings.