Tackling the imposter phenomenon to advance women in neurology

Abstract

Recent literature documents that women comprise an increasing proportion of the neurology workforce but still lag behind male counterparts in publications and promotion. There are many reasons for gender disparities in neurology including family responsibilities, different career goals, lack of mentorship, cultural stereotypes, lack of institutional funding, biases, and professional isolation. Another contributing factor receiving relatively little recognition is the imposter phenomenon. This review highlights recent literature on gender differences in neurology, the definition of the imposter phenomenon, and research on the imposter phenomenon in academic medicine. Approaches for managing the imposter phenomenon are described including personal, mentoring, and institutional strategies. Further research is needed to understand the frequency of the imposter phenomenon at different levels of seniority and optimal strategies for prevention and management.