Impostor Syndrome and Burnout in Swiss Residents and Chief Residents Anaesthesiologists

NCT06097325 | Unknown

• 1 other identifier: 2022-01782
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 100
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Surveys including a demographic chart, the Clance Impostor phenomenon scale (CIPS) and the Malash burnout inventory for medical personnel (MBI-HSS-MP) will be sent to residents and chief-residents in anesthesiology in Latin Switzerland (VD, VS, GE, Ti). A qualitative study will then explore the experiences and coping strategies of self-doubt and impostor syndrome of junior resident anesthesiologists working at Geneva University Hospital, during their transition from mandatory training in internal medicine to anesthesiology.

Conditions

Impostor Phenomenon; Imposter Syndrome; Burnout, Professional; Burnout, Student

Keywords

Impostor Phenomenon; Imposter Syndrome; Education; Burnout; Survey; Qualitative Research

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Impostor syndrome

  Describe the prevalence of and relationship between impostor syndrome in anaesthesiology residents and burnout (other outcome), as well as key socio-demographics. A validated score will be used: the Clance impostor phenomenon scale (CIPS) which is a 20 questions on a 5-point Likert scale that investigate feelings about self-assessment of competency, praise, and success. The higher the score, more the participant is prone to impostor syndrome.

  6 months

• Burnout

  Describe the prevalence of and relationship between burnout in anaesthesiology residents and impostor syndrome (other outcome), as well as key socio-demographics. The MBI-HSS-MP (Maslach Burnout Inventory for medical personnel) will be used. It is a scale that captures three dimensions of burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal accomplishment) and uses a 7-level frequency scale on 22 questions. For the domains of depersonalization and emotional exhaustion, the higher the score, the more the participant is subject to burnout. For the domain of personal accomplishment, the lower the score, the more the participant is subject to burnout.

  6 months

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Coping strategies used by residents regarding impostor syndrome and burnout

  2 years

Study Arms (2)

Residents in Anaesthesiology

The residents in Anaesthesiology (French-speaking part of Switzerland) will be enrolled to both: * Fill a cross-sectional online survey * Enter a qualitative study from the beginning of their residency at Geneva's university hospital

Diagnostic Test: Clance impostor phenomenon scale; Diagnostic Test: Maslach Burnout Inventory for Medical Professional

Chief-Residents in Anaesthesiology

Chief-Residents (Board-certified anaesthesiologists after post-graduate training) in French-speaking part of Switzerland will be enrolled to fill a cross-sectional online survey

Diagnostic Test: Clance impostor phenomenon scale; Diagnostic Test: Maslach Burnout Inventory for Medical Professional

Interventions

Clance impostor phenomenon scale DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

The CIPS will be used as "diagnostic test" in the online survey.

Also known as: CIPS

Chief-Residents in Anaesthesiology; Residents in Anaesthesiology

Maslach Burnout Inventory for Medical Professional DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

The MBI-HSS-MP will be used as "diagnostic test" in the online survey.

Also known as: MBI-HSS-MP

Chief-Residents in Anaesthesiology; Residents in Anaesthesiology

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Residents and chief residents in anaesthesiology working in Latin Switzerland. Residents are currently undergoing post-graduate medical training in Anaesthesiology Chief-Residents have completed their residency and are board-certified Anaesthesiologists working in Swiss institutions. We estimate a total population of about 140-150 residents and 100-120 chief residents.

You may qualify if:

• Currently working hospitals included in the COMASUL network (COMmission Latine d'engagement pour l'Anesthésie et SUisse Latine : HUG - CHUV - Lugano - Bellinzona - Morges - Nyon - Rennaz - Payerne - Sion - Neuchâtel - Fribourg)

You may not qualify if:

• Working outside of the COMASUL network
• Specialized anaesthesiologists who are not currently chief residents.
• Beginning anesthesiology residency at Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) in either May or November (standard residency starting times, which will be used as recruitment time)
• Having started the anesthesiology residency at the HUG before the May or November recruitment times, or having previous work experience at the HUG in the anesthesiology department.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University Hospital, Geneva: lead
• Prof. Savoldelli Georges Louis: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Geneva's university hospitals

Geneva, 1205, Switzerland

Location

Related Publications (14)

• Bravata DM, Watts SA, Keefer AL, Madhusudhan DK, Taylor KT, Clark DM, Nelson RS, Cokley KO, Hagg HK. Prevalence, Predictors, and Treatment of Impostor Syndrome: a Systematic Review. J Gen Intern Med. 2020 Apr;35(4):1252-1275. doi: 10.1007/s11606-019-05364-1. Epub 2019 Dec 17.

  PMID: 31848865 BACKGROUND

• Sirriyeh R, Lawton R, Gardner P, Armitage G. Coping with medical error: a systematic review of papers to assess the effects of involvement in medical errors on healthcare professionals' psychological well-being. Qual Saf Health Care. 2010 Dec;19(6):e43. doi: 10.1136/qshc.2009.035253. Epub 2010 May 31.

  PMID: 20513788 BACKGROUND

• Clance PR, Imes SA. The imposter phenomenon in high achieving women: Dynamics and therapeutic intervention. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice US: Division of Psychotherapy (29), American Psychological Association; 1978; 15: 241-7

  BACKGROUND

• Rivera N, Feldman EA, Augustin DA, Caceres W, Gans HA, Blankenburg R. Do I Belong Here? Confronting Imposter Syndrome at an Individual, Peer, and Institutional Level in Health Professionals. MedEdPORTAL. 2021 Jul 6;17:11166. doi: 10.15766/mep_2374-8265.11166. eCollection 2021.

  PMID: 34277932 BACKGROUND

• Hutchins H, Rainbolt H. What triggers imposter phenomenon among academic faculty? A critical incident study exploring antecedents, coping, and development opportunities. Human Resource Development International 2016; 20: 1-21

  BACKGROUND

• Neufeld A, Babenko O, Lai H, Svrcek C, Malin G. Why Do We Feel Like Intellectual Frauds? A Self-Determination Theory Perspective on the Impostor Phenomenon in Medical Students. Teach Learn Med. 2023 Apr-May;35(2):180-192. doi: 10.1080/10401334.2022.2056741. Epub 2022 Apr 17.

  PMID: 35435084 BACKGROUND

• Liu RQ, Davidson J, Van Hooren TA, Van Koughnett JAM, Jones S, Ott MC. Impostorism and anxiety contribute to burnout among resident physicians. Med Teach. 2022 Jul;44(7):758-764. doi: 10.1080/0142159X.2022.2028751. Epub 2022 Feb 1.

  PMID: 35104192 BACKGROUND

• Freeman KJ, Houghton S, Carr SE, Nestel D. Measuring impostor phenomenon in healthcare simulation educators: a validation of the clance impostor phenomenon scale and leary impostorism scale. BMC Med Educ. 2022 Mar 3;22(1):139. doi: 10.1186/s12909-022-03190-4.

  PMID: 35236357 BACKGROUND

• Gottlieb M, Chung A, Battaglioli N, Sebok-Syer SS, Kalantari A. Impostor syndrome among physicians and physicians in training: A scoping review. Med Educ. 2020 Feb;54(2):116-124. doi: 10.1111/medu.13956. Epub 2019 Nov 6.

  PMID: 31692028 BACKGROUND

• LaDonna KA, Ginsburg S, Watling C. "Rising to the Level of Your Incompetence": What Physicians' Self-Assessment of Their Performance Reveals About the Imposter Syndrome in Medicine. Acad Med. 2018 May;93(5):763-768. doi: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000002046.

  PMID: 29116983 BACKGROUND

• Gurman GM, Klein M, Weksler N. Professional stress in anesthesiology: a review. J Clin Monit Comput. 2012 Aug;26(4):329-35. doi: 10.1007/s10877-011-9328-7. Epub 2011 Dec 17.

  PMID: 22180163 BACKGROUND

• Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey for Medical Personnel (MBI-HSS (MP)) - Assessments, Tests | Mind Garden - Mind Garden [Internet]. [cited 2022 Sep 28]. Available from: https://www.mindgarden.com/315-mbi-human-services-survey-medical-personne

  BACKGROUND

• Feenstra S, Begeny CT, Ryan MK, Rink FA, Stoker JI, Jordan J. Contextualizing the Impostor "Syndrome". Front Psychol. 2020 Nov 13;11:575024. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.575024. eCollection 2020.

  PMID: 33312149 RESULT

• Gisselbaek M, Suppan M, Saxena S, Hudelson P, Savoldelli GL. Association of impostor phenomenon and burnout among Swiss residents and junior anaesthesiologists: results of a cross-sectional survey. BMC Anesthesiol. 2025 Feb 22;25(1):98. doi: 10.1186/s12871-025-02957-8.

  PMID: 39987071 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

imposter syndrome; Burnout, Professional; Burnout, Psychological

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Occupational Stress; Occupational Diseases; Stress, Psychological; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

Study Officials

• Mia Gisselbaek, MD

  University Hospital, Geneva

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: OTHER
• Time Perspective: OTHER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal investigator, Dr. Mia Gisselbaek M.D., MSc.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 29, 2023
• First Posted: October 24, 2023
• Study Start: May 1, 2023
• Primary Completion: November 3, 2023
• Study Completion: December 31, 2024
• Last Updated: November 29, 2023

Record last verified: 2023-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CH (1)