Future Dietitian Guide to Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
Have you ever felt like you didn’t deserve something even though you earned it? Or are you scared that you won’t know enough as a future dietitian? This feeling has been given the not-so-endearing nickname, “imposter syndrome.”
And believe it or not, imposter syndrome is extremely common amongst dietetic interns, future dietitians and even experienced RDs.
Today, dietetic intern, Peyton Plaisance, is going to share her secrets for overcoming imposter syndrome as a future dietitian. She’ll explain the concept of imposter syndrome, her own personal experience with overcoming her own self doubts during her clinical rotation and the ways that she overcame them.
First off, let’s define imposter syndrome.
What is imposter syndrome?
Imposter syndrome – for those of you who aren’t sure what this term means, it simply is an overwhelming feeling of doubt over yourself and your achievements, leaving you constantly plagued with fear of being exposed as a fraud. Studies show that up to 82% of people struggle with imposter syndrome, so conversation about it is needed now more than ever (Source).
By sharing my personal experience with imposter syndrome, I hope that future dietitians will know that they are not alone.
Experiencing Imposter Syndrome as a Future Dietitian
During these first months of my dietetic internship with KBDI, imposter syndrome weaved its way into my mind quickly. On the first day of my first rotation, I walked in bursting with excitement in my cute new clothes and KBDI badge. Before heading to the facility, I met my preceptor for coffee to talk about the day ahead. I was excited to learn more about what she did as a consultant clinical dietitian and thought I was ready to receive all the knowledge she was ready to impart…. that was until we got to the facility and imposter syndrome hit hard.
The facility was full of very medically complex patients receiving many different types of care. My preceptor began asking me what I knew about this medication and that disease state and those charting systems. I felt like I answered “no” more than yes (or more accurately, “I think I remember learning about that in my MNT course junior year of college?”) and I was frustrated. The imposter syndrome was swinging in full force and I had to get a handle on it if I wanted to truly enjoy the rotation.
(If you’re curious about a day in the life of a clinical intern, check out my fellow intern’s blog about our clinical site).
And then read on for my top tips on how I overcame imposter syndrome and ended up doing well in my clinical rotation.
My 3 Tips for Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
Gaining confidence and understanding that I don’t know it all is a regular part of being a dietetic intern. Here are the 3 ways that I kept imposter syndrome at bay:
1. Focus on what got you here as a future dietitian!
The simple fact is that you are where you are for a reason. You deserve to be there and you worked hard at every step of the way in your journey to become a registered dietitian.
It is true that you won’t know everything, but it’s also true that you CAN learn and become better.
2. Let go of perfectionism.
You will never be perfect – sorry to break it to you. What you can do is bring the best version of you wherever you are.
You will make mistakes. You won’t know the answer to every question that your preceptor asks. And that is 100% okay. You are there to learn and in fact, you’ll never stop learning as a future dietitian or seasoned RD.
3. Always look for ways to improve.
Wise people admit when they’ve failed and get back up to learn more and try again. Don’t give up – having a teachable spirit is something preceptors love and want to nurture.
Internalize what you’ve done well and change the narrative of that voice in your head.
Here are mantras that helped me:
- I have worked hard to get where I am and I deserve to be here.
- My best might looks different from someone else and that is okay.
- I will be an amazing dietitian one day.
Conclusion: Don't let imposter syndrome dictate your success!
The truth is that everyone will experience imposter syndrome at some point in their career and most likely several times. As future dietitians, we have to embrace this learning experience. The dietitian internship is a wild ride, but at some point you just have to jump in and embrace it all.
To my future dietitians- you are wonderful and you are going to change the world. Here’s to being forever learners!