Mark* shared with me that he’s been the practice manager at the same animal hospital for almost 11 years. But he still experiences Impostor Syndrome.
At least a few times a week, he has thoughts like: Am I really qualified for this job?.…What if one of my team members thinks I did something wrong?…What if clients notice I’m not a certified practice manager?
Mind you, the vet who owns the animal hospital only has wonderful things to say about Mark. She tells me she completely trusts him to run the hospital. She also says he is super responsible and amazing with clients.
Mark’s team loves him too. He hired several of them who’ve been there for years, and having worked his way up through the ranks, he understands their challenges and gives them great advice and support.
What’s interesting is that Mark’s situation with Impostor Syndrome is not unique.
What’s exciting is that research about Impostor Syndrome shows it has an unexpected upside.
I’ve heard similar stories to Mark’s from a lot of exceptional practice managers: The practice manager says they have Impostor Syndrome, but their boss and team members say they do a great job.
Research from MIT consistently reveals that people with Impostor Syndrome also have strong social, relationship and teamwork skills—and excel at their work.
Additionally, Research from MIT consistently reveals that people with Impostor Syndrome also have strong social, relationship and teamwork skills—and excel at their work.
These days, I think that knowing about Impostor Syndrome and the research findings, as well as gaining a broader perspective, is important for everyone in veterinary medicine.
That’s because veterinary managers aren’t the only ones experiencing Impostor Syndrome. Vets are too—at an alarming rate.
Research from the National Library of Medicine reports that 69% of veterinarians experienced Impostor Syndrome at some stage in their career.
Occasionally, vet techs and receptionists tell me that they’re experiencing Impostor Syndrome too.
Why do so many vet professionals feel like frauds?
Findings from veterinary and psychology researchers indicate various causes of Impostor Syndrome—ranging from situational factors, to family influences, to Impostor Syndrome being an overlay on an existing mental health challenge.
Most often, I hear about vet professionals encountering Impostor Syndrome when moving into a new or more challenging role…
Most often, I hear about vet professionals encountering Impostor Syndrome when moving into a new or more challenging role, like Mark did when he rose up through the ranks to become the practice manager.
Impostor Syndrome also occurs for a lot of new veterinarians, especially when they first start practicing on their own.
As an aside: I’m sometimes asked if women experience Impostor Syndrome more than men. According to the MIT research that studied people in a variety of professions, the answer is “no.” Women and men are affected by Impostor Syndrome at similar rates. But perhaps we see more women in the veterinary world having Impostor Syndrome because there are so many more women in veterinary medicine, including 80% of the veterinary school class of 2025.
Let’s dive a little more into the positive findings about people with Impostor Syndrome, to get a deeper sense of how they do at work.
Positive findings on professionals with Impostor Syndrome
People with impostor thoughts have proven to work very effectively with their colleagues, as well as with the people they serve.
When the research from MIT was done with physicians-in-training, it was found that those with impostor thoughts were the best at connecting with patients. Patients rated them as more empathetic, better listeners, and good at eliciting information. Video research also confirmed that they had strong interpersonal skills, showing they have “greater eye contact, more open hand gestures, and more nodding.”
People with impostor thoughts perform so well at work because they excel at putting their focus on others, which helps create better interpersonal communications and relationships.
People with impostor thoughts perform so well at work because they excel at putting their focus on others, which creates better interpersonal communications and relationships. In the veterinary world, we can see this happen when they interact with their work teams and their pet-owner clients, as well as with veterinary clinic leaders or owners.
Rethinking Impostor Syndrome
As we start to rethink Impostor Syndrome, the first thing to know is that Impostor Syndrome is not necessarily constant or permanent. Impostor thoughts may come and go. And for some people, over time and with experience in their field, impostor thoughts may eventually disappear.
If you’re having impostor thoughts: Consider getting an external perspective on your actual work performance, by chatting with your manager or a trusted co-worker. It’s also important to be acknowledged for your strengths if you’re great at communicating and growing relationships with others.
If you feel there may be a personal issue underlying your impostor thoughts that’s also affecting other areas of your life, consider seeking help from a mental health professional.
Lastly, recent research from MIT suggests that it can help to stop referring to “having Impostor Syndrome.” Instead, you can refer to “having workplace impostor thoughts,” to reinforce the transient nature of the unwanted thoughts.
If you’re a veterinary clinic owner or manager: Consider how you can cultivate a more open work environment for discussing impostor thoughts. How can you support employees who have impostor thoughts? And how can you acknowledge their strong work performance and the great way they communicate and build relationships with clients and co-workers?
* Mark’s name, image and personal details were changed to protect his privacy.