Physicians on X (Twitter)

How I escaped the toxic grip of social media

Dr. Damane Zehra

April 10, 2025Apr 10, 2025

Social media is an incredible tool for staying connected with loved ones and the world. But sometimes, I wonder, are we truly connected? Or is this connection merely an illusion? I was addicted to social media. I believe this addiction…

Social media is an incredible tool for staying connected with loved ones and the world. But sometimes, I wonder, are we truly connected? Or is this connection merely an illusion?

I was addicted to social media. I believe this addiction began in 2012, during my first year of medical school. That’s when I asked my father to install an internet connection, claiming it was just for study purposes. It’s a common …

How social media shaming is hurting future doctors [PODCAST]

October 1, 2024Oct 1, 2024

We sit down with anesthesiologist Jonathan Cohen to explore the impact of social media on the medical learning environment. Recent posts by senior physicians have sparked debate on the public shaming of trainees and the consequences for psychological safety in…

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Traditional academia is not dying. It’s evolving.

Casey P. Schukow, DO

July 4, 2024Jul 4, 2024

"Tradition" comes from the Latin word tradere, meaning to "transmit" or "hand over." In contrast, the word "academia" is derived from the Latin phrase acadēmīa (Greek: Ἀκαδημία or Akadēmía), which refers to Plato's "Academy" – a school residing by olive…

“Tradition” comes from the Latin word tradere, meaning to “transmit” or “hand over.” In contrast, the word “academia” is derived from the Latin phrase acadēmīa (Greek: Ἀκαδημία or Akadēmía), which refers to Plato’s “Academy” – a school residing by olive trees where teachers and learners gathered to educate each other and share knowledge through undefined curricula of readings, lectures, debates, and discussions. “Traditional academia,” then, etymologically describes the passing …

I was trolled by another physician on social media. I am happy I did not respond.

Casey P. Schukow, DO

May 21, 2024May 21, 2024

I enjoy using social media (SoMe). These social communications-based, user-generated platforms part of Web 2.0 can be a great way to eat up time while scrolling mindlessly through funny posts, “how-to” cooking videos, or find breaking news updates (while being mindful of source reputation, of course). In medicine, SoMe can be an exceptional tool to combat medical misinformation, evolve …

Social media: Striking a balance for physicians and parents

Dawn Baker, MD

May 4, 2024May 4, 2024

We live in an always-on, information-overloaded, highlight-reel, echo-chamber world. Medical practices are increasingly relying on mobile applications and social media for communication, service promotion, and education. How can we balance social media and device use—arguably imperative activities for many of us—with the other things in life that matter? And how can we, physicians using these programs both personally and professionally, serve as role models for our families and communities?

I recently …

Social media’s impact on mental health [PODCAST]

November 6, 2023Nov 6, 2023

Join us as we explore the profound impact of social media on mental health, particularly among young people, with our guest, Mohammed Umer Waris. As a family medicine resident, Mohammed brings a unique perspective on the intersection of technology and…

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Why building your social media following is critical to your practice’s success

Sheila Nazarian, MD

July 7, 2023Jul 7, 2023

Scrolling through social media, you might come to believe that it's only for models, foodies, and cute dogs. While these types of accounts are certainly popular, the truth of the matter is that social media is a powerful tool you…

Scrolling through social media, you might come to believe that it’s only for models, foodies, and cute dogs. While these types of accounts are certainly popular, the truth of the matter is that social media is a powerful tool you can use to propel your practice forward. With it, you can create meaningful content that changes lives, gain a loyal band of followers, and, ultimately, bring an incredible amount of …

KevinMD

Surgeon General’s warning: the dark side of social media on children’s mental health

Kevin Pho, MD

May 23, 2023May 23, 2023

It's disheartening to see the escalated trend of mental health challenges in children and teens, an issue that's becoming more and more prevalent. Daily, we encounter tales of parents grappling with their children's emotional struggles, from a professional mom taking…

It’s disheartening to see the escalated trend of mental health challenges in children and teens, an issue that’s becoming more and more prevalent. Daily, we encounter tales of parents grappling with their children’s emotional struggles, from a professional mom taking a career hiatus to aid her anxious daughter to a dad watching his previously thriving son grapple with addiction, leading to a tragic school dropout. These are not isolated incidents …

Physician burnout: the impact of social media on mental health and the urgent need for change

Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Amy Bissada, DO & Jen Barna, MD

May 6, 2023May 6, 2023

Burnout is an increasingly common phenomenon affecting approximately 63 percent of physicians. The etiology is multifactorial, with excessive workloads leading to sleep deprivation and curtailed self-care. Social media is a significant contributor to burnout that we easily overlook. Perhaps we're…

Perhaps we’re looking for an escape on social media, but is more screen time what we really need?

How does social media use contribute to burnout?

Let’s face it; social media is a time vacuum. …

Homer Moutran, MD, MBA, Caline El-Khoury, PhD, and Danielle Wilson

From penicillin to digital health: the impact of social media on medicine

March 20, 2023Mar 20, 2023

In a growing social media world population, one cannot ignore the technological invasion of the medical world. From the discovery of penicillin to electronic medical records and the digital health revolution, real medical revolutions are not too many. However, social…

However, social media is disrupting the medical ecosystem and how we practice medicine. Information to the public is moving from a “push system,” where the teacher or the publisher decides what information to …

KevinMD interview by Cory Calendine, MD [PODCAST]

December 30, 2022Dec 30, 2022

On this special episode, I'm on the other side of the microphone. It's an honor to be interviewed by Cory Calendine, MD, an orthopedic surgeon with a tremendous social media presence. Visit him on Instagram and TikTok @corycalendinemd. We have…

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On this special episode, I’m on the other side of the microphone. It’s an honor to be interviewed by Cory Calendine, MD, an orthopedic surgeon with a tremendous social media presence. Visit him on Instagram and TikTok @corycalendinemd.

We have a conversation on the explosive growth of TikTok, its …

KevinMD on the Stay Off My Operating Table podcast

October 11, 2022Oct 11, 2022

In this special episode, KevinMD is on the other side of the microphone as he's interviewed by cardiothoracic surgeon Philip Ovadia and patient advocate Jack Heald, originally aired on the Stay Off My Operating Table podcast. He shares his perspective…

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In this special episode, KevinMD is on the other side of the microphone as he’s interviewed by cardiothoracic surgeon Philip Ovadia and patient advocate Jack Heald, originally aired on the Stay Off My Operating Table podcast. He shares his perspective on the social media-health care intersection, the physician-patient relationship, entrepreneurship …

KevinMD on PermanenteDocs Chat [PODCAST]

September 23, 2022Sep 23, 2022

In this special episode, KevinMD is on the other side of the microphone as he's interviewed by Dr. Alex McDonald, originally aired as a PermanenteDocs Chat presented by The Permanente Federation at Kaiser Permanente. He shares his social media story,…

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In this special episode, KevinMD is on the other side of the microphone as he’s interviewed by Dr. Alex McDonald, originally aired as a PermanenteDocs Chat presented by The Permanente Federation at Kaiser Permanente.

He shares his social media story, reasons why physicians should be involved with social media, criteria for …

On the internet, you are looking for something to make you angry

Judson Ellis

April 24, 2022Apr 24, 2022

Back on the internet, you are looking for something to make you angry. It’s a habit you picked up as a researcher, stuck in your lab until sunset, walking home to those empty walls. It’s one you’ve kept as a…

It’s always the most belligerent takes that ignite you. The ones that leap to the front line, waving old middle school science like it’s pure, unshifting truth. It needles …

You are what you click: Transform your social media experience [PODCAST]

December 30, 2021Dec 30, 2021

"Confidence and humility are strongly related, but one arises when we focus on self, and the other arises when we focus on others. However, each attribute can become unhealthy when it becomes too extreme, or when we lose the perspective…

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“Confidence and humility are strongly related, but one arises when we focus on self, and the other arises when we focus on others. However, each attribute can become unhealthy when it becomes too extreme, or when we lose the perspective of the other attribute. In the case of confidence, we …

Personal attacks and sexual harassment of physicians on social media [PODCAST]

December 8, 2021Dec 8, 2021

"This survey study examines the self-reports of personal attacks and sexual harassment of physicians through social media outlets. A total of 108 physicians (23.3%) reported being personally attacked on social media, with no significant difference between female and male physicians.…

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“This survey study examines the self-reports of personal attacks and sexual harassment of physicians through social media outlets. A total of 108 physicians (23.3%) reported being personally attacked on social media, with no significant difference between female and male physicians. In contrast, women were significantly more likely than men to report online sexual …

Brian A. Primack, MD, PhD

How to balance confidence and humility online

September 18, 2021Sep 18, 2021

An excerpt from You Are What You Click: How Being Selective, Positive, and Creative Can Transform Your Social Media Experience. Confidence and humility are strongly related, but one arises when we focus on self, and the other arises when we…

An excerpt from You Are What You Click: How Being Selective, Positive, and Creative Can Transform Your Social Media Experience.

Confidence and humility are strongly related, but one arises when we focus on self, and the other arises when we focus on others. However, each attribute can become unhealthy when it becomes too extreme, or when we lose the perspective of the other attribute. In the case of …

How I used social media to get promoted to professor [PODCAST]

September 9, 2021Sep 9, 2021

"After my last promotion, my institution adopted new guidelines and criteria for incorporating social media into promotion. I understand several other academic institutions have taken similar approaches, and it is enlightening to learn that academic medicine is evolving to match…

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“After my last promotion, my institution adopted new guidelines and criteria for incorporating social media into promotion. I understand several other academic institutions have taken similar approaches, and it is enlightening to learn that academic medicine is evolving to match the current state of medical education. I encourage anyone …