So You Want to Be a Medfluencer

Fundamentals are the building blocks of fun. -- Mikhail Baryshnikov

For better or worse, influencers are a permanent fixture in our lives, even in medicine. In droves, doctors have taken to TikTok or Instagram to teach or to improve public understanding of important issues in medicine. MedTwitter and Medsky offer excellent educational resources and discourse.

Our reach extends beyond social media. Many write, sharing patient narratives and commenting on current events through a medical lens. Some have made impressive literary contributions, from When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi, MD, to The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, MD. Others, like Jessi Gold, MD, MS, or Paul Offit, MD, appear on television or in the news as experts and advocates. And others enter politics. Th