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. 2025 Aug 23;25(1):1191.
doi: 10.1186/s12909-025-07773-9.

Exploring the association between mindfulness and imposter syndrome in medical students: a cross-sectional study

Özlem Tanrıöver  1 , Esra Gemici  2 , Kerem Arısın  2 , Seyhan Hıdıroğlu  2 , Hatice Büşra Arısın  2 , Ayşenur Sandal Kılıç  2 , Pınar Ay  2
Affiliations

Exploring the association between mindfulness and imposter syndrome in medical students: a cross-sectional study

Özlem Tanrıöver et al. BMC Med Educ. .

Abstract

Background: Imposter syndrome (IS) refers to a psychological condition marked by ongoing self-doubt and an underlying fear of being perceived as incompetent, even when there is clear evidence of success. IS is notably prevalent among medical students and is associated with negative outcomes such as profound stress, burnout, and impaired academic performance. Mindfulness, a practice that involves being fully present in the moment, cultivating awareness, and accepting thoughts without judgment, is suggested to reduce feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. However, no study has explored the association between mindfulness and IS among medical students. This study aims to determine the prevalence of IS in medical students and explore its associations with mindfulness and engagement in extracurricular activities.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 545 medical students from the Marmara University School of Medicine. The Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale were used to assess IS and mindfulness, respectively. Participation in extracurricular activities was defined as engagement in at least one hour per week of sports, social or artistic activities.

Results: The median age of the participants was 22 years, and 58% (n=316) were female. IS was present in 39.3% (95% CI: 35.1%-43.5%) of the participants. Students with higher mindfulness scores (OR = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.27–0.49) and those who engaged in extracurricular activities (OR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.07–2.33) presented significantly lower levels of imposter syndrome (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that mindfulness and engagement in extracurricular activities is associated with lower IS scores, suggesting a potential protective role in medical students. These findings highlight the need for mindfulness-based interventions in medical education to support student well-being. Medical schools should consider integrating structured mindfulness programs and promoting extracurricular engagement as potential strategies to mitigate IS.

Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12909-025-07773-9.

Keywords: Extracurricular activities; Imposter syndrome; Medical students; Mindfulness.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Marmara University School of Medicine Clinical Research Ethics Committee (Protocol Code: 09.2023.1400, Date: 03.11.2023). The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. All of the participants provided informed consent prior to their inclusion in the study. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
IS Categories by Gender. P = 0.002
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
IS Categories by MAAS scores. p < 0.001
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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