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Imposter Syndrome Among Medical Professionals in General Surgery: A Multi-center Observational Study.
Kristie Kear1, Ukoha Kalu1, Roland Fernandes1
1General Surgery, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, Ashford, GBR.
Cureus
|October 27, 2025
Summary
Imposter syndrome is prevalent in general surgery medical staff, particularly affecting women and those aged 35-44. This study highlights the need to address this phenomenon to support well-being in high-achieving professionals.
Area of Science:
- Medical research
- Psychology
- Surgical staff well-being
Background:
- Imposter syndrome (IS) affects high-achievers, causing self-doubt and burnout.
- IS is under-researched in general surgery medical staff.
- This study investigated IS prevalence and severity in Southeast England's general surgery departments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of imposter syndrome among medical staff in general surgery.
- To assess the severity of imposter syndrome in this population.
- To identify demographic factors associated with imposter syndrome in general surgery staff.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional survey design.
- Anonymous online questionnaire (Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale - CIPS) distributed to medical staff.
- Descriptive analysis of socio-demographic data and CIPS scores.
Main Results:
- A 51% response rate (76/150) was achieved.
- The mean CIPS score was 66.41±14.68, indicating varying levels of IS.
- Mild, moderate, significant, and intense IS were reported by 6.6%, 25.0%, 53.3%, and 13.1% of respondents, respectively.
Conclusions:
- Imposter syndrome is highly prevalent among general surgery medical staff.
- Female staff and those aged 35-44 showed significantly higher rates of moderate to intense IS.
- No significant differences in IS were found based on staff grade or ethnicity.
