Imposter Syndrome in Medical Students and Its Relation With Stress

Imposter Syndrome In Medical Students And Its Relationship With Stress

The goal of this observational study is to examine the relationship between Imposter Syndrome and stress in undergraduate medical students at Rawalpindi Medical University, with particular attention to variables such as gender, academic year, and academic performance.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

Is there a positive correlation between Imposter Syndrome and stress?

Are gender and year of study associated with differences in stress and Imposter Syndrome levels?

Participants will:

Complete an online questionnaire including demographic questions

Fill out the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS) to assess Imposter Syndrome

Complete the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) to measure stress levels

Inclusion Criteria:

• Undergraduate MBBS students enrolled at Rawalpindi Medical University
• Students from any year of study (1st to final year)
• Willingness to participate, demonstrated by providing informed consent
• Ability to complete the online questionnaire independently

Exclusion Criteria:

• Postgraduate medical students or students from other disciplines (e.g., nursing, dentistry)
• Participants with known psychiatric diagnoses (e.g., depression, anxiety disorders) that could confound stress or Imposter Syndrome assessments
• Incomplete or partially filled questionnaires
• Students who did not consent to participate in the study