Do You Discuss Your Experience Level or Not?

This is a challenging question that many students, new graduates, and younger clinicians grapple with daily in the clinic. Should you admit that you lack experience, or should you present yourself as more experienced than you are?

Honestly, there are pros and cons to both approaches, and there may not be a definitive “right” answer. The best approach can depend on the situation and the patient. It’s similar to what you may have encountered in personal relationships—sometimes honesty is the best policy, while other times confidence is key.

The "I Have No Experience" Approach

Cons:

• Admitting your lack of experience can potentially decrease the patient’s confidence in you and your abilities.

• Some patients may feel uncomfortable being treated by someone they perceive as inexperienced, which could lead them to seek another provider.

Pros:

• Transparency can build trust with patients who appreciate honesty. Many patients understand that everyone has to start somewhere and may be willing to work with you if you’re upfront about your experience level.

• Being open about your limitations can set realistic expectations and foster a collaborative relationship.

The "White Lie" Approach

Cons:

• If the patient discovers that you misrepresented your experience, it can severely damage trust and your reputation. Losing a patient’s trust can have long-term consequences, including losing referrals and future business.

Pros:

• Presenting yourself confidently as experienced can instill immediate trust in patients, especially those who value certainty in their care.

• In some situations, particularly with patients who expect a high level of authority (e.g., older veterans or highly skeptical individuals), a confident presentation can help get them on board with your treatment plan.

Finding the Balance

At the end of the day, I highly encourage you to prioritize honesty. Just like in personal relationships, trust takes time to build but can be destroyed in an instant by dishonesty. In the long run, being truthful about your experience is often the better path, even if it means losing a patient in the short term.

For example, it may sting a little if you tell a patient that you haven’t treated their specific condition before and they choose to seek someone else. However, this honesty can preserve the patient’s trust in your clinic and profession as a whole. It also sets the stage for future growth—the next time you encounter a similar condition, you’ll have the experience to confidently say, “Yes, I’ve treated this before, and this is what worked.”

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, you need to gauge each situation and decide how best to communicate with individual patients. Whether you choose to be fully transparent or project confidence, always strive to learn from each experience. Over time, you’ll build a solid foundation of expertise that allows you to confidently and truthfully say, “Yes, I have experience with this, and here’s how I can help.”