Higher degree of impostor characteristics relates to lower self-perceived teaching ability and emotional intelligence.

Background: Emotional intelligence (EI) has been previously associated with teaching ability and impostor phenomenon (IP) in medical education; however, studies have demonstrated mixed findings and have largely focused on trainees only. Therefore, we sought to explore the potential association between the degree of IP characteristics, EI and teaching ability in obstetrics and gynaecology (Ob/Gyn) faculty physicians.

Methods: A cross-sectional, survey-based pilot study was completed at a single academic institution. Ob/Gyn attending (faculty) physicians were queried using surveys related to IP, EI and teaching ability. Resident (trainee) physicians also completed anonymous evaluations of faculty teaching ability.

Findings: The degree of IP characteristics correlated negatively with self-perceived teaching ability, with no significant differences in resident assessment of faculty teaching. IP also correlated negatively with EI. Although there were no statistically significant differences in resident assessment of teaching ability based on EI, both EI and IP demonstrated inverse relationships to faculty assessment of teaching ability compared with resident assessment.

Conclusion: IP appears to relate to lower perceived teaching ability in Ob/Gyn faculty that does not correspond to resident evaluation of teaching performance. The demonstrated negative correlation between the degree of impostor characteristics and EI suggests that EI could potentially play a protective role in the development of IP and burnout, as well as influence teaching. This relationship may have implications for faculty willingness to continue in academic medicine.