Imposter Syndrome: Embracing Excellence in a Sea of Anxiety

A Virtual Lunch & Learn

Imposter syndrome (sometimes called imposter phenomenon) has been defined as a pattern of thinking in which an individual doubts their skills, talents, or accomplishments despite evidence that these doubts are unwarranted and further, has a persistent internalized fear that they will be discovered by others as the fraud that they think they are.

This phenomenon can be common in people who are high achieving, creating cycles of perfectionism, over-work, and fear of failure that can hamper wellbeing, growth, and productivity. Though often discussed as an individual-level phenomenon, imposter syndrome can be exacerbated by racism, sexism, and other systems-level biases.

Unchecked imposter syndrome can lead to anxiety that can be debilitating, impacting individuals’ ability to fully embrace their accomplishments and competence. Within organizations, imposter syndrome can contribute to environments where burnout thrives because of the emotional labor that is constantly expended by individuals experiencing the phenomenon.

Join special guest Dr. Yvette Perry to:

• Learn about several common triggers for imposter syndrome.
• Practice strategies for recognizing when these unhelpful patterns threaten flourishing.
• Explore ways to deploy more useful cognitive and affective patterns as replacements.

Please Note: This workshop will NOT be recorded or made available to registrants after the live session.

Questions about this event or about your registration?
Call 616-331-7585 or email jcp@gvsu.edu.

Yvette V. Perry, Ph.D., has 12 years of experience in undergraduate student development and medical education. She served as director of the Diversity Scholars Research Program at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), where she was also involved in the Ronald McNair Scholars Program as well as other initiatives aimed at connecting undergraduate students with mentored research experiences. She moved to Toledo with her husband and twin daughters in 2011 to work at The University of Toledo. Dr. Perry first served as director of student affairs, career advising, and professional development in the Office of Student Affairs in the College of Medicine and Life Sciences (COMLS). Since 2016, she has served in the Office of Admissions overseeing student recruitment, evaluation, and matriculation in the M.D. program. During her tenure as the admissions dean, she also served as interim associate dean for diversity and inclusion in COMLS. Learn more about Dr. Perry.

A Note from Dr. Perry

I first learned about imposter phenomenon when I was working with my undergraduate research assistants while in my doctoral program at the University of Minnesota. I had been frustrated by the self-sabotaging behavior of some of my highly competent, mostly female mentees and struggled with providing to them feedback that would alleviate their self-doubt. Upon learning about the phenomenon, I recognized some of these thinking patterns and behaviors in myself during my own academic and professional journey. Years later when working in the medical education context, I continued to see what I now recognized as imposter syndrome in many of the high-achieving medical students.

Largely because of my own experiences with imposter syndrome, I have become passionate about helping others understand this phenomenon and learn how to manage it. I’ve delivered presentations on imposter syndrome to undergraduate pre-health students at Spelman College and The University of Toledo. I’ve also presented on the topic at the 2022 Student National Medical Association Annual Medical Education Conference in Orlando, Florida.