The Imposter Syndrome

[dcc777]

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Is anyone currently ina graduate program or accepting one for the fall experiencing the Imposter Syndrome yet? I've been told it is very popular.

For those who don't know - The Imposter Syndrome is that feeling that you don't REALLY know what you're doing and that you fooled everyone into believing that you can handle something competently and that you're more talented than you really are; a sense that, in our cases, getting into these programs was a fluke accident!

 

[3rdWave]

You actually don't know what you are doing right now. However, in 4-8 years you will have learned what you need to know to be an early career psychologist. Relax, you will learn a lot starting this fall. Try to go out and have fun this spring and summer. Spend time with your friends and family. Charge your batteries. You will be very busy come September.

 

[PsychPhDone]

I'm "long" into a program and still suffer from this occasionally, especially at high-pressure "milestone" times. Everyone deals with it sooner or later. The reality is that you probably aren't prepared for everything as it stands. You'll need to pick up some skills along the way. However, odds are you can pull it off if the faculty admit you. That's their indication that they think you can handle it.

Now the other stuff...the moving away and all that. It'll get better once you're in the thick of things and are busy. And it's really exciting to move somewhere new, meet new people in the same boat.

 

[cara susanna]

I had that same feeling. It's especially intimidating when you see the upper classmen in your program and how much they know. But remember that the learning curve is steep. I'm a third year now and I definitely feel like I know my stuff, at least well enough to be in the program.

 

[futurepsydoc]

I had that same feeling. It's especially intimidating when you see the upper classmen in your program and how much they know. But remember that the learning curve is steep. I'm a third year now and I definitely feel like I know my stuff, at least well enough to be in the program.

I agree with Cara Susanna. Early on it can be very intimidating, especially when work with upperclassmen in clinical settings. The discrepancy between their knowledge and yours will be clearly noticeable. However, the discrepancy is supposed to be there, they have had more training and the learning curve is steep. Remember, you are there to learn, it is training program. If anyone could be a psychologist, there would be no need to get a doctorate in the first place.

In my opinion, feeling like an imposter during your training is completely normal and to be expected. From time to time, you will even experience this as you move into second, third, and fourth years. It cannot be avoided. Yet, your confidence will grow and your comfort level will increase. It is all par for the course. As PsychPhDStudent points out, the program would not have admitted you if they did not think you could handle it. Trust that they will help guide you through the process, as they have been doing it for quite some time.

 

[Zigman]

Is this the program in Boulder or Denver?

As others have stated, the imposter syndrome will endure even as your knowledge grows. I am on internship at a medical school and have been feeling it big time (imagine telling physicians and residents your clinical opinion two minutes after evaluating an inpatient by yourself). Eventually this feeling will become your friend! In my case, its not going away anytime soon and I've been in grad school for years!!