Imposter syndrome in veterinary medicine: why you're not 'winging it'

I know it sometimes feels like it. You're winging it, you don't know exactly what you're doing, and it feels like a free fall.

Here's why it FEELS like you're winging it: In medicine, it's actually rare that we have all the answers. So most of the time, we go into a case, a surgery, a revision, without having all the blanks filled in. There are two problems we create for ourselves here:

1) We think we SHOULD have all the blanks filled out. We believe there must be something wrong, that we're missing something, that we're not competent enough to get it all done the "right way".

2) We think everyone ELSE knows what we don't. Other vets would surely do it better, be more prepared, have a better shot at it, know more than we do (also implying that we're "less than" everyone else).

So now, when you have to make decisions, it can feel terrifying. Because if you, as the only vet in the world, don't know everything you should, there could be devastating consequences for you patient. And the owners, your peers and your managers might finally realise you don't belong and are wildly incompetent.

This seems quite dramatic when I write it out, because now you're reading it with some perspective, right? Well, when you're IN IT, there's no perspective to be had. You just compare yourself wildly to everyone else who seems to have it all together (they don't) and seem to know what they're doing (while they ALSO hide in the bathroom googling "what to do when dog has eaten owner's Air Pods").

Here's a different take for you: You're NOT winging it. You're drawing from all your studying, experience and your incredibly smart and resourceful brain. You WILL have to draw between the dots where there's a blank space, but you're not doing it from NOTHING.

What you've got to realise is that everyone around you has got some knowledge, about some things, just like you. Different vets know different things, but no one knows EvErYtHiNg! In our heads, we just tend to group everyone together in a big ball of knowledge, and then we compare ourselves to that giant ball, instead of realising it's the sum of each and every one of us, not ONE individual, and hence it's like comparing your knowledge to that of ChatGPT.

What you want to do to combat your imposter syndrome in vet med is to show your brain how much you actually know, instead of focusing on the pockets you haven't filled out (yet). One exercise I love, is to sit down and write how much you've advanced in the last 10 years. Instead of comparing yourself to others so much, compare yourself to YOU 10 years ago.

And if you want support with this, I go into much deeper into this (and much more) in my course "Happy in Vet Med", which you can check out HERE. When you sign up for this course you also get a free session with me, as well as email support AND a discount if you later decide to sign up for my one on one coaching!

In your corner,

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Ready to fall back in love with Vet Med?

If you're feeling overwhelmed, burned out, or doubting yourself — I get it. I've been there. Here's how I can help:

• Book a Free 50-Minute Coaching Session — Let's chat about where you are and where you want to be. Book here
• Download the Free Burnout Guide — 10 ways to overcome burnout in the veterinary clinic. Get it here
• Explore the Happy in Vet Med Programme — Beat burnout and imposter syndrome. Learn more

You don't have to do this alone.