Introducing the intruder paradox: "It's not the imposter syndrome, it's you don't want me in the field".
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| Title: | Introducing the intruder paradox: "It's not the imposter syndrome, it's you don't want me in the field". |
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| Authors: | LaDonna, Kori A.1 kladonna@uottawa.ca, Cowley, Lindsay2, Field, Emily3, Ginsburg, Shiphra4, Watling, Christopher5, Pack, Rachael6 |
| Source: | Medical Education. Oct2025, Vol. 59 Issue 10, p1058-1066. 9p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Social media, *College teacher attitudes, *Research methodology, *Professional employee training, *Employment discrimination, *Comparative studies, Sexism, Women physicians, Syndromes, Interviewing, Violence in the workplace, Descriptive statistics, Psychological well-being, Grounded theory, Self-perception, Psychosocial factors |
| Geographic Terms: | Canada |
| Abstract: | Introduction: Imposter phenomenon (IP) or syndrome is typically framed as a personal problem rooted in low self‐esteem or anxiety that an individual must overcome to succeed. Critics argue that this framing overlooks external forces, such as discrimination, that engender feelings of inadequacy. Since women in medicine disproportionately experience both IP and workplace harms, our purpose was to examine the link between gender‐based discrimination and IP from their point of view. Methods: Women training and practicing across Canada were invited to participate via Twitter/X. Forty consented (n = 13 Faculty Physicians; 27 Trainees). During semi‐structured interviews, participants discussed their imposter experiences, including how discrimination influenced perceptions of their competence. Data were analysed using constructivist grounded theory, with constant comparative analysis employed across three coding stages. Results: The link between workplace discrimination and IP is complex. Some perceived no link whereas others described IP as a trauma response to repeated instances of gender‐based harms. Most participants experienced discrimination, although subtle instances led some to question whether they were overreacting. Others suggested that perceptions of incompetence were externally imposed rather than internally generated. Some also wondered if they were being "gaslighted" or manipulated by others into questioning their competence. Although some participants endorsed experiencing IP, others pushed back, rejecting the imposter label altogether: "it's not the imposter syndrome, it's you don't want me in the field." Based on participants' experiences, we developed a theoretical model called the Intruder Paradox (IPx) to nuance understanding about IP in medicine. Discussion: We define IPx as a form of gaslighting used against those who do not fit sociocultural norms. Although it may co‐exist with IP, IPx appears to be a distinct, overlooked barrier to personal well‐being and professional advancement in medicine. Addressing IP and IPx, and achieving equity, depends on acknowledging the complex sociocultural factors that can trigger imposter feelings and be weaponized against intruders. Are you an imposter or are you being gaslit? Based on the experiences of 40 Canadian women in medicine, @Kori_LaDonna et al propose the Intruder Paradox to distinguish imposter feelings from discrimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Medical Education is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Introducing the intruder paradox: "It's not the imposter syndrome, it's you don't want me in the field". – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22LaDonna%2C+Kori+A%2E%22">LaDonna, Kori A.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> kladonna@uottawa.ca</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cowley%2C+Lindsay%22">Cowley, Lindsay</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Field%2C+Emily%22">Field, Emily</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ginsburg%2C+Shiphra%22">Ginsburg, Shiphra</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Watling%2C+Christopher%22">Watling, Christopher</searchLink><relatesTo>5</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Pack%2C+Rachael%22">Pack, Rachael</searchLink><relatesTo>6</relatesTo> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Medical+Education%22">Medical Education</searchLink>. Oct2025, Vol. 59 Issue 10, p1058-1066. 9p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+media%22">Social media</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+teacher+attitudes%22">College teacher attitudes</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+methodology%22">Research methodology</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Professional+employee+training%22">Professional employee training</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Employment+discrimination%22">Employment discrimination</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Comparative+studies%22">Comparative studies</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sexism%22">Sexism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Women+physicians%22">Women physicians</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Syndromes%22">Syndromes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interviewing%22">Interviewing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Violence+in+the+workplace%22">Violence in the workplace</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychological+well-being%22">Psychological well-being</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grounded+theory%22">Grounded theory</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self-perception%22">Self-perception</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychosocial+factors%22">Psychosocial factors</searchLink> – Name: SubjectGeographic Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Canada%22">Canada</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Introduction: Imposter phenomenon (IP) or syndrome is typically framed as a personal problem rooted in low self‐esteem or anxiety that an individual must overcome to succeed. Critics argue that this framing overlooks external forces, such as discrimination, that engender feelings of inadequacy. Since women in medicine disproportionately experience both IP and workplace harms, our purpose was to examine the link between gender‐based discrimination and IP from their point of view. Methods: Women training and practicing across Canada were invited to participate via Twitter/X. Forty consented (n = 13 Faculty Physicians; 27 Trainees). During semi‐structured interviews, participants discussed their imposter experiences, including how discrimination influenced perceptions of their competence. Data were analysed using constructivist grounded theory, with constant comparative analysis employed across three coding stages. Results: The link between workplace discrimination and IP is complex. Some perceived no link whereas others described IP as a trauma response to repeated instances of gender‐based harms. Most participants experienced discrimination, although subtle instances led some to question whether they were overreacting. Others suggested that perceptions of incompetence were externally imposed rather than internally generated. Some also wondered if they were being "gaslighted" or manipulated by others into questioning their competence. Although some participants endorsed experiencing IP, others pushed back, rejecting the imposter label altogether: "it's not the imposter syndrome, it's you don't want me in the field." Based on participants' experiences, we developed a theoretical model called the Intruder Paradox (IPx) to nuance understanding about IP in medicine. Discussion: We define IPx as a form of gaslighting used against those who do not fit sociocultural norms. Although it may co‐exist with IP, IPx appears to be a distinct, overlooked barrier to personal well‐being and professional advancement in medicine. Addressing IP and IPx, and achieving equity, depends on acknowledging the complex sociocultural factors that can trigger imposter feelings and be weaponized against intruders. Are you an imposter or are you being gaslit? Based on the experiences of 40 Canadian women in medicine, @Kori_LaDonna et al propose the Intruder Paradox to distinguish imposter feelings from discrimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Medical Education is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1111/medu.15741 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 9 StartPage: 1058 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Social media Type: general – SubjectFull: College teacher attitudes Type: general – SubjectFull: Research methodology Type: general – SubjectFull: Professional employee training Type: general – SubjectFull: Employment discrimination Type: general – SubjectFull: Comparative studies Type: general – SubjectFull: Sexism Type: general – SubjectFull: Women physicians Type: general – SubjectFull: Syndromes Type: general – SubjectFull: Interviewing Type: general – SubjectFull: Violence in the workplace Type: general – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics Type: general – SubjectFull: Psychological well-being Type: general – SubjectFull: Grounded theory Type: general – SubjectFull: Self-perception Type: general – SubjectFull: Psychosocial factors Type: general – SubjectFull: Canada Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Introducing the intruder paradox: "It's not the imposter syndrome, it's you don't want me in the field". Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: LaDonna, Kori A. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Cowley, Lindsay – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Field, Emily – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Ginsburg, Shiphra – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Watling, Christopher – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Pack, Rachael IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 10 Text: Oct2025 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 03080110 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 59 – Type: issue Value: 10 Titles: – TitleFull: Medical Education Type: main |
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