“Should I be in this meeting?”
“Everyone here is more qualified than me.”
“When will people realise I’m not in the same league?”

These are questions I often find myself asking. I frequently question myself and often feel that I bring limited value to any given situation. These feelings can be overwhelming and, at times, debilitating. Despite my qualifications and years of experience, I still find myself wondering: do I really belong here? Unfortunately, I’m not alone.

A recent review found the prevalence of impostor phenomenon to be around 62% (Salari et al, 2025), and further research suggests it’s even more common among US physicians (Shanafelt et al, 2022). But what does this mean for optometrists?

As clinicians, our patients come to us for our care and expertise. When we are unsure of our own abilities, it can feel uncomfortable to have someone rely on our advice. Working in a busy clinic or in professional isolation makes it harder to ask for a second opinion or receive feedback, which adds to the uncertainty and can intensify those feelings of self-doubt. It can also make it difficult to recognise how far you’ve come and to appreciate the knowledge and experience you’ve gained over time.