Distribution of imposter syndrome among medical students of Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Imposter syndrome (IS), suffering from self-doubt and fear, despite clear accomplishment and competencies, is often detected in medical students and adversely affects the well-being of the student. This study aimed at assessing the prevalence of IS among public and private medical students in Bangladesh. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional design among medical students in Bangladesh. Data were collected between February to July 2020 through snowball sampling technique across medical colleges in Bangladesh. Relative risk ratios (RRRs) with 95% CI were calculated to investigate the magnitude of association between imposter syndrome exposure and explanatory variables. Results: A total of 500 students participated in this study with approximately 47% and 53% of students studying at public and private medical colleges, respectively. Around 32% of medical students were exposed to IS (47% of public and 53% of private medical college students). Medical students were the most significantly associated with IS for third (RR: 1.487, CI: 1.068-2.071) and fourth-year students (RR: 1.493, CI: 1.043-2.136). Overall, we found that respondents aged 22 to 25 were 3.6% (RR:1.036, CI:0.801-1.339) more likely to be suffering from IS than their younger counterparts. Conclusion: Third and fourth-year medical students, in particular, require more care than others; teachers and authorities should provide them with proper guidance and care, encourage them, and thus grow their self-reliance and confidence.