Feeling Like a Fraud? Understanding Imposter Syndrome in Healthcare
Sonja Cronjé
March 27, 2025
Inside the Article:
Introduction
Ever had that nagging sense that you don’t quite belong? That sooner or later, someone will realise you’re not as capable as they think? If so, you’re in good company. Imposter syndrome is remarkably common in healthcare.
Despite years of training, countless exams, and hard-earned expertise, many doctors and healthcare professionals struggle with persistent self-doubt. They attribute their success to luck rather than ability, downplay their achievements, and fear being ‘found out’. It’s a deeply personal experience, but one that is widespread across medicine.
This is the first in a series on imposter syndrome in healthcare. In this post, we’ll explore what it is, why it happens, and how even the most capable professionals can feel like frauds. We’ll also look at its impact – on careers, patient care, and wellbeing – using research-backed insights.
Future posts will delve into practical strategies for managing imposter syndrome, because recognising the pattern is the first step to breaking free from it.
What Is Imposter Syndrome?
Imposter syndrome is the persistent belief that you’re not as competent as others think you are, along with a fear of being exposed as a fraud. Despite its name, it’s not a clinical ‘syndrome’ or a mental health disorder, nor is it simply a lack of confidence. Instead, it’s a pattern of thinking that can make even the most capable people feel undeserving of their success.
The good news? Thought patterns can be changed. You’re not stuck with it.
First identified in 1978 by psychologists Dr. Pauline Clance and Dr. Suzanne Imes, imposter syndrome was initially studied in high-achieving women. Since then, it has been recognised across all genders and professions, especially in high-stakes fields like healthcare.
How Common Is Imposter Syndrome in Healthcare?
Studies show that doctors experience imposter syndrome at higher rates than professionals in other fields. Medical students, interns, and early-career specialists are especially vulnerable, despite their skills and qualifications.
Gender also plays a role, with female healthcare professionals often reporting higher levels of imposter syndrome. The constant pressure to prove oneself, combined with systemic challenges, can deepen self-doubt.
And it’s not just doctors – nurses and allied health professionals experience imposter syndrome too, especially early in their careers as they navigate the demands of clinical practice. Even those in academic medicine aren’t immune, often doubting themselves when comparing their achievements to peers with impressive research and publication records.
Why Is Imposter Syndrome So Common in Healthcare?
Healthcare’s high-pressure environment creates the perfect conditions for imposter syndrome to thrive. A mix of systemic pressures, medical culture, and personal traits fuels self-doubt, even among highly skilled professionals.
Systemic and Cultural Pressures
High expectations and constant learning – Medicine attracts high-achievers, yet no training fully prepares you for clinical reality. The sheer volume of knowledge required, coupled with the complexity of human health, means there will always be gaps – and imposter syndrome thrives in those gaps.
A culture of perfectionism – Mistakes in medicine can have serious consequences, so the drive for perfection is understandable. But when the fear of getting things wrong prevents asking for help or acknowledging uncertainty, it reinforces imposter feelings.
Hierarchical structures – Traditional medical hierarchies can make early-career specialists doubt their expertise, especially in environments where confidence is mistaken for competence.
The pressure to ‘always know’ – Clinicians are expected to make decisions under pressure and reassure patients, even when they feel unsure. Admitting uncertainty can feel like failure, deepening self-doubt.
Personal Contributing Factors
Early influences – Growing up with high expectations, constant comparison, or a focus on outcomes over effort can lay the foundation for imposter feelings later in life.
Personality traits – Perfectionism, high self-expectations, and a tendency to overanalyse can all increase vulnerability to imposter syndrome. Many doctors were ‘top students’ before entering medicine – only to find themselves surrounded by equally high-achieving peers, which can make them question their abilities.
Learned behaviour – Seeing mentors or colleagues downplay achievements or avoid showing vulnerability sends the message that self-doubt should be hidden rather than addressed.
With these factors combined, it’s no surprise so many doctors and healthcare professionals feel like imposters, even when the evidence says otherwise.
Do You Have Imposter Syndrome? The Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS)
If you’ve ever wondered whether you experience imposter syndrome or if it’s just ‘normal self-doubt’, there’s a research-backed way to explore it. The Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS) is a questionnaire that measures how often someone experiences imposter feelings – such as fearing exposure as a fraud or attributing success to luck rather than skill. While not a diagnostic tool, it offers valuable insight into how imposter syndrome affects confidence and career growth.
Common Statements That Resonate in Healthcare
Many healthcare professionals find these CIPS statements strikingly familiar:
“I’m afraid people important to me may find out that I’m not as capable as they think I am.”
“I sometimes think I obtained my present position or gained my present success because I happened to be in the right place at the right time or knew the right people.”
“When I’ve succeeded at something and received recognition for my accomplishments, I have doubts that I can keep repeating that success.”
“Sometimes I’m afraid others will discover how much knowledge or ability I really lack.”
Noticing Without Self-Judgment
Recognising imposter feelings isn’t about labelling yourself or seeing them as a flaw. It’s about understanding where they come from and learning to challenge them. The goal isn’t to eliminate self-doubt – that would be unrealistic – but to develop a more balanced perspective on your abilities.
Recognising the Signs: How Imposter Syndrome Shows Up
Imposter syndrome doesn’t always announce itself loudly. It often lurks in the background, shaping thoughts, emotions, and behaviours in ways that feel almost second nature. Recognising these patterns is the first step to addressing them.
Cognitive Signs:
Overanalysing everything – Constantly second-guessing your decisions, even after making the right call.
Downplaying achievements – Brushing off success as ‘not a big deal’ or thinking anyone else could have done the same.
Attributing success to luck – Thinking you got through medical school, passed exams, or landed a role due to luck, timing, or external factors rather than your own ability.
Emotional Signs:
Persistent anxiety – Feeling like you’re one mistake away from being ‘found out’.
Fear of failure – Avoiding challenges in case you don’t measure up.
Discomfort with praise – Struggling to accept compliments, convinced people are just being polite.
Behavioural Signs:
Overworking – Believing that if you work harder, you’ll finally feel competent (but that feeling never quite arrives).
Procrastination – Putting off tasks for fear they won’t meet expectations or be ‘perfect’.
Avoiding new challenges – Turning down opportunities, even when you’re qualified, because you don’t feel ‘ready yet’.
These behaviours can look like dedication, but when driven by imposter syndrome, they can lead to stress, burnout, and missed opportunities.
The Professional Impact of Imposter Syndrome in Healthcare
Imposter syndrome isn’t just an internal struggle – it has real consequences for careers, patient care, and wellbeing.
Career Progression:
Avoiding leadership roles – You hesitate to apply for senior positions, feeling ‘not experienced enough’ or assuming others are more deserving.
Staying silent in meetings – You hold back from speaking up, worried your input isn’t valuable or that you’ll say something ‘wrong’.
Over-preparing, under-valuing – You spend excessive time on tasks to ‘prove’ your competence, yet still feel like you don’t measure up.
Patient Care:
Second-guessing decisions – Even when your judgment is sound, self-doubt leads to hesitation or excessive checking.
Deferring to others – You avoid making firm recommendations, even when you’re well-qualified to do so.
Harsh self-criticism – You dwell on minor mistakes, struggling to move on, even when they had no impact on patient care.
Wellbeing:
Chronic stress and anxiety – The constant pressure to ‘prove’ yourself takes a toll.
Struggling with boundaries – You say yes to everything, overwork, and find it hard to step away for fear of looking incapable.
Burnout and exhaustion – High self-expectations, perfectionism, and self-doubt drain your emotional and physical energy.
Conclusion: This Is Just the Beginning
Imposter syndrome is a common, well-documented experience in healthcare – not a personal failing. The fact that so many highly capable medical professionals struggle with self-doubt says more about the pressures of the profession than it does about individual competence.
The good news? Imposter syndrome isn’t a life sentence. There are evidence-based strategies to manage it, reframe self-doubt, and build authentic confidence.
In upcoming blogs, we’ll explore practical strategies to shift from self-doubt to genuine confidence – without falling into perfectionism or overwork.
Because recognising your value isn’t about ‘faking it’ – it’s about trusting the skills you’ve already earned.
You belong in healthcare. It’s time to start believing it!