The Orthopaedic Dunning-Krugger Effect
The Dunning-Krugger Effect
Aristotle famously wrote, "The more you know, the more you realize you don't know."
As clinicians, as we gain experience our confidence follows the graph.
Initially, our confidence is in the dumps because we know we’re inexperienced.
In a short period of time we start to feel comfortable because we’re ‘getting it.’ One might stay there for a while and some clinicians stay there forever. Ignorance is bliss. These are the clinicians that never push themselves to get better.
Those that are pushed or push themselves will likely, eventually, fall down into the ‘valley of despair.’ This clinician realizes there’s a lot more out there that they don’t know.
The good news is that knowledge and confidence will increase when one combines continuing education with experience. This is theDunning-Krugger effect.