--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Doctors are mostly impostors. The older a…" description: "\"Doctors are mostly impostors. The older a doctor is and the more venerated he is, the more he must pretend to know everything. Of course, they grow wor..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e13/thornton-wilder-1495_courses_doctors-are-mostly-impostors-the-older-a_571168.jpg" --- # Doctors are mostly impostors. The older a doctor is and… ![“Doctors are mostly impostors. The older a doctor is and the more venerated he is, the more he must pretend to know everything. Of course, they grow worse with time. Always look for a doctor who is hated by the best doctors. Always seek out a bright young doctor before he comes down with nonsense.” quote by Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e13/thornton-wilder-1495_courses_doctors-are-mostly-impostors-the-older-a_571168.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e13/thornton-wilder-1495_courses_doctors-are-mostly-impostors-the-older-a_571168.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e13/thornton-wilder-1495_courses_doctors-are-mostly-impostors-the-older-a_571168.jpg) > “Doctors are mostly impostors. The older a doctor is and the more venerated he is, the more he must pretend to know everything. Of course, they grow worse with time. Always look for a doctor who is hated by the best doctors. Always seek out a bright young doctor before he comes down with nonsense.” [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote warns that senior doctors may become complacent and overconfident, suggesting younger doctors are more reliable. **In simple terms:** Older doctors may hide ignorance; seek younger, honest doctors. Key Takeaway Prefer younger doctors who are less likely to be revered blindly. Themes trust expertise age humility Mood skeptical cautious Type advice cautionary When to use this quote - patient appointments - referrals - second opinions - hospital hiring - medical education Key Concepts medical ethics confidence bias professional reputation Questions to Reflect On - How do you evaluate a doctor's competence beyond reputation? - What signs indicate a doctor is truly knowledgeable? A Different Perspective Older doctors can still be competent; age alone isn’t a reliable indicator of skill. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctor/) [Doctor who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctor-who/) [Doctors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctors/) [Medicine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medicine/) [Nonsense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonsense/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I married someone 30 years older than me, a doctor, a playboy who had a terrible Don Juan reputation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arielle-dombasle/i-married-someone-30-years-older-than-me-a-doctor-a-playboy-who-had-a/) [Arielle Dombasle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arielle-dombasle/) > [I have inherited this burden of superstition and nonsense. 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