Imposter syndrome is not a personal failing. It is a conditioned mindset. A learned pattern. We are raised in a culture of hyper vigilance. We are taught to equate uncertainty with inadequacy. We are taught it is not OK not to know an answer. That being unsure is a failing.
We prepare relentlessly. We never let our guard down. Hypervigilance is our standard mode of operating. Self-judgment is an internal soundtrack. Comparing ourselves to others to see what we might not know and how we might not measure up is considered good doctoring. In fact, all of these behaviors are taught as markers of excellence.
At a recent workshop I was leading for physicians a seasoned, highly respected colleague (thirty-five years into his career) shared with the group that he still feels like an impostor much of the time. It was a moment I will not forget. It shifted the energy in the room. If this physician has imposter syndrome, then truly, every physician probably does.
Imposter syndrome is not a personal failing. It is a conditioned mindset. A learned pattern. One that benefits the system. In fact it is integral to the functioning of our current health care system.
Physicians who doubt themselves do not make waves. They do not question unreasonable demands. They take on more, stay late, and carry the emotional weight of medicine without complaint. Imposter syndrome fuels overwork, and overwork keeps the machine running. Imposter syndrome is good for productivity.
Imposter syndrome is not good for physicians. It is not good for sustainability, longevity, cost of care, quality of care, or retention. It is energetically depleting and emotionally exhausting. It contributes heavily to burnout.
If we want to change medicine, we have to stop normalizing self-doubt as the price of admission.
Self-doubt is not evidence that you are failing. It is a sign that you are learning, stretching, and doing meaningful work. Self-doubt is not the problem. Thinking it should not be there is.
Imposter syndrome may be good for the system. But it is harming the very people the system depends on.
Jessie Mahoney is a board-certified pediatrician, certified coach, mindfulness and yoga teacher, and the founder of Pause & Presence Coaching & Retreats. After nearly two decades as a physician leader at the Permanente Medical Group/Kaiser, she stepped outside the traditional medical model to reimagine what sustainable well-being in health care could look like. She can also be reached on Facebook and Instagram.
Dr. Mahoney’s work challenges the culture of overwork and self-sacrifice in medicine. She helps physicians and leaders cultivate clarity, intention, and balance—leveraging mindfulness, coaching, yoga, and lifestyle medicine to create deep and lasting change. Her CME retreats offer a transformative space for healing, self-discovery, and renewal.
As co-host of the podcast, Healing Medicine, she brings self-compassion and presence into the conversation around modern medical practice. A sought-after speaker and consultant, she partners with organizations to build more human-centered, sustainable, and inspired medical cultures.
Dr. Mahoney is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine.
