Impostor phenomenon among physicians in Egypt and its association with job burnout

Ensuring physicians' well-being is not only a professional priority but also pivotal to delivering consistent, efficient, and high-quality medical care. Feelings of impostorism, persistent self-doubt, and fear of being exposed as a fraud, despite evident competence, can be detrimental to physicians' mental health and well-being. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and severity of the impostor phenomenon (IP) among physicians, identify its key determinants, and explore its association with job burnout. A total of 730 physicians from various specialties completed a questionnaire that included demographic, occupational, and clinical data, the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS), and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. More than two-fifths (43.6%) of physicians reported frequent or intense impostorism. CIPS scores correlated positively with the emotional exhaustion and depersonalization dimensions of job burnout and negatively with personal accomplishment. In multivariable regression analysis, having only a bachelor's degree, surgical specialization, non-private practice, short work experience (≤5 yr), and high job burnout were independently associated with frequent/intense IP, with adjusted prevalence ratios of 4.9, 1.1, 2.5, 2.3, and 3.1, respectively. These findings underscore the need to raise physicians' awareness of IP and foster a supportive workplace environment, especially for those at higher risk.