By Megan Makovsky, PharmD Candidate 2025; Nikki Polivka, PharmD Candidate 2025; Kimmy Nguyen, PharmD, BCACP, BC-ADM, TTS
Have you ever said to yourself, “I don’t belong here. Everyone else is so much smarter than me?” That fraudulent feeling is known as imposter syndrome, and nearly 70% of people have experienced it at least once. It primarily affects those who are high-achieving and successful (including those in pharmacy), and it is often characterized by insecurity, self-doubt, fear of failure, self-criticism, and perfectionism. Those who have dealt with imposter syndrome have difficulty internalizing their achievements and recognizing their good qualities.(1) A study consisting of pharmacy students and faculty found that over 57% of participants experience frequent or intense feelings of imposter syndrome, showing that symptoms may not decrease with experience.(2) Unfortunately, daily stress from imposter syndrome can impact physical, mental, and emotional well-being, and this can result in burnout, overwork, and exhaustion.(3,4) It is a cyclical process; as anxiety levels rise, physical symptoms like stomach upset or increased heart rate can emerge, which in turn makes it more difficult to focus on completing tasks.(1) It is important to learn how to overcome this syndrome to become better clinicians, colleagues, preceptors, and supervisors in addition to improving our own feelings of self-worth.
From a student perspective, imposter syndrome exists throughout all of pharmacy school (even amidst acceptance to the program and passing grades), but it is especially prevalent during IPPE and APPE rotations and when running for school leadership positions. A student’s biggest fear can be appearing inept or incompetent in front of their superior or peers by not knowing the answer to a question, failing to meet expectations when it comes to tasks or projects, or lacking certain clinical skills. Because of this fear, students lack confidence, and this can be difficult to manage. Having experience in mentoring underclassmen and dealing with imposter syndrome ourselves, overcoming the lack of confidence is easiest when a welcoming and positive environment and attitude is provided by the preceptor, supervisor, or mentor. What students need is encouragement and reassurance that they are where they belong and possess the skills asked of them, even when they do not explicitly mention experiencing imposter syndrome.
To combat imposter syndrome, there are a few helpful tactics that exist. First, you should recognize the feeling in those around you! You’ll be better able to recognize the syndrome in yourself once you can recognize the syndrome in others.(1) As you develop skills in boosting others’ confidences, being able to boost your own confidence should become easier. For students, hearing a preceptor share similar experiences they may have had can be very reassuring. Imposter syndrome can cause you to feel alone in combatting these negative feelings, but knowing that a preceptor has experienced the same thing is very beneficial. Having a preceptor share personal tips that they may have for overcoming imposter syndrome is highly welcomed as well. This same principle can be applied to colleagues or co-workers, especially for new hires. Hearing veteran co-workers discuss how they felt when they started their career and how they got past those thoughts can provide comfort and reassurance. Sharing the following acronym with your students and/or colleagues can help them identify how they are feeling along with healthy ways to cope. Teaching students and colleagues to CARE for themselves can truly make a difference (see Table 1).
Table 1: CARE; An Acronym for Combatting Imposter Syndrome
Unfortunately, imposter syndrome is something that many people experience throughout their lives, but it can especially impact those in high-achieving fields like pharmacy. The good news is that imposter syndrome can be overcome with a healthy environment and a good support system. Being able to recognize students and colleagues who may be experiencing imposter syndrome and helping them to address it will allow for the achievement of goals even more than ever thought possible. For more information, visit the imposter syndrome resources below (see Table 2).
Table 2: Imposter Syndrome Resources
Resources | Description |
Books | The Imposter Cure by Dr. Jessamy Hibbard The Imposter Syndrome Workbook by Athina Danilo |
Podcasts | Understanding and Combatting Impostor Syndrome from ASHP (30 minutes) S7E2: Imposter Syndrome! from CapsuleRx Pharmacy Podcast (1 hour, 19 minutes) |
Ted Talk Videos | What is imposter syndrome and how can you combat it? by Elizabeth Cox (4 minutes) How you can use impostor syndrome to your benefit by Mike Cannon (13 minutes) |
Related Articles | Imposter syndrome: An opportunity to positively influence mentees from the Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning Journal Intellectual Self-doubt and How to Get Out of It from the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education |
Hibbard, J. (2019). The Imposter Cure. Aster Publishing House.
Boyle J, Malcom DR, Barker A, et al. Assessment of impostor phenomenon in student pharmacists and faculty at two doctor of pharmacy programs. Am J Pharm Educ 2022;86:8474. doi:10.5688/ajpe8474.
Huecker MR, Shreffler J, McKeny PT, et al. Imposter Phenomenon. [Updated 2023 Jul 31]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK585058/.
Chandra S, Huebert CA, Crowley E, Das AM. Impostor Syndrome: Could It Be Holding You or Your Mentees Back? Chest. 2019 Jul;156(1):26-32.
Megan Makovsky
PharmD Candidate 2025
Wilkes University Nesbitt School of Pharmacy
Wilkes-Barre, PA
Nikki Polivka
PharmD Candidate 2025
Wilkes University Nesbitt School of Pharmacy
Wilkes-Barre, PA
Kimmy Nguyen, PharmD, BCACP, BC-ADM, TTS
Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice
Wilkes University Nesbitt School of Pharmacy
Ambulatory Care Clinical Pharmacy Specialist
Volunteers in Medicine
Wilkes-Barre, PA
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