Devon A. Sherwood, PharmD, BCPP
Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice
University of New England College of Pharmacy
Portland, ME
Dr. Sherwood is a Board-Certified Psychiatric Pharmacist with nearly two decades experience both practicing and instructing as a specialist in psychopharmacology. She is a tenured Associate Professor for the School of Pharmacy at the University of New England, and recently became the first Clinical Psychiatric Pharmacist for Maine Medical Center’s Outpatient Psychiatry in Portland, ME. She joined Maine Medical Center after over a decade of working in inpatient psychiatry at Spring Harbor Hospital in Westbrook, ME. She has also been very active in research and scholarship to improve patient care for substance use disorders as a Champion and Trainer on a SAMHSA grant implementing SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment) into all healthcare programs curricula at UNE. She also recently submitted a HRSA - RCORP (Health Resources and Services Administration – Rural Communities Opioid Response Program) grant for UNE as the program director, which aims to improve patient access throughout rural Maine by expanding and advancing the workforce trained to treat persons with opioid and/or other substance use disorders.
Dr. Sherwood continues to serve as a preceptor training pharmacy students as well as pharmacy and medical residents, and students in medicine, nursing, dental hygiene, and physical therapy programs. Prior to UNE, Dr. Sherwood was an Assistant Professor for the Gregory School of Pharmacy at Palm Beach Atlantic University and Clinical Specialist in Psychiatric Pharmacy at the Center for Behavioral Health at Memorial Regional Hospital. She’s also taught students from Tufts University, Palm Beach Atlantic University, Nova Southeastern University, Mercer University, Florida A&M University, and Broward College. Preceding her position as a full-time professor, she served as both a Clinical Specialist in Psychiatric Pharmacy and Clinical Pharmacist in Internal Medicine at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, Florida. She earned both B.S. and Pharm.D. degrees at the University of Connecticut, completed residency in psychiatric pharmacy practice and psychopharmacology at Nova Southeastern University and South Florida State Hospital, and in 2007 was named the Resident of the Year by the South Florida Society of Health System Pharmacists.
Recently, I was asked to join a meeting for a new grant opportunity to be submitted as part of an interprofessional education and practice project with my university. As a clinical pharmacist and faculty member for several years, I realize the importance of accepting “good fit” opportunities. I attended the meeting assuming I’d probably be asked to help collaborate with the pharmacy program. As I happily contributed to a majority of the discussion, at the end of the meeting several senior faculty members began discussing the best fit for program director. As I sat and listened, each person around the room chimed in to agree that I should lead as the program director. I quickly felt flush as anxiety poured in from head to toe and was dumbfounded by the proposition. Instead of joy or feeling any notion of earned recognition, I felt my confidence sink. I wondered why they thought I could pull off such a role and managed to respond by requesting time to meet with my supervisor to discuss the opportunity. I walked out of the meeting bewildered. My thoughts circled around fear that my colleagues would soon discover their mistake, as my knowledge and experience couldn’t possibly be enough to serve in this role. I stewed in my emotions and self-doubt. As I broke out my highlighters and notebook in a scramble to reread the grant application for the third time, I stopped to recognize the imposter phenomenon that I’d known and lectured on years ago had been driving my afternoon.
Imposter Syndrome, also known as Imposter Phenomenon (IP), is a psychological pattern of behavior where self-doubt can take over and cause a person to question their competence, doubt accomplishments, or fear they may be exposed as a fraud. Whether at the beginning of a career as a new student or after years of experience as a seasoned pharmacy specialist, all describe feelings of imposter experiences or perceived fraudulence in their positions. It is common for high-achieving individuals to struggle in recognizing their success and accurately attribute their performance to actual competence.
When embarking on new endeavors, competing for a position, or attempting to meet demands for a supervisor, IP often goes unrecognized. The extra pressure and negative feelings of IP has been shown to adversely impact learning and impair career development or advancement. Many suffer in silence fearing others will discover their incompetence. With increasing competition and feelings of inadequacy, this can hinder pursuit of new opportunities or striving further in their careers. The inability to cope with these feelings lowers career satisfaction and is associated with anxiety and burnout.
IP is not a new concept, as it was first described by psychologists Clance and Imes in 1978. Clance developed the “Imposter Test” known as the Clance IP Scale which the higher the score, the more frequently and seriously the IP interferes in a person’s life. Whether using a scale or simply recognizing these traits that overwhelm a person’s confidence and experience, there are strategies to effectively address IP. Recognizing and addressing IP can positively influence and improve morale for peers, students, mentees, and all employees.
Recommendations can be employed to aid students or residents transitioning into new roles, both as pharmacy learners progressing through their education and as future mentees thereafter.1
What learners can do to help themselves:
Talk to mentors
What mentors/preceptors/faculty can do to help:
Combatting self-doubt and recognizing imposter syndrome can be a difficult. As a learner in any stage of your career, it is important to recognize your self-worth and keep striving to build off your experiences. When negative thoughts cause doubt, strive to adjust your thinking with positive affirmations instead. Challenge yourself to focus on achievements and what you contribute rather than perceived failure. When you need guidance and support, speak to a colleague or mentor who can help affirm your skills and validate your abilities. Additionally, connecting with a therapist can also positively reframe your thinking and assist you in developing coping mechanisms.
Your training and experience are valid and will carry you forward. Remember to be kind to yourself, and instead of allowing anxiety to hold you back, let it serve you better as motivation.
