Why real medical experts must become medical influencers

We live in a world of over 5 billion global internet users, all connected in ways we have never seen before. We get to see the most secretive parts of people’s private lives: their morning routines, their shower routines, and their “Day in the Life” vlogs.

Yet, for decades, the daily work of a doctor remained a hidden mystery, at least to anyone outside the medical world. It wasn’t like a pop star who can easily drop a behind-the-scenes video of their rehearsal for a big performance. Doctors used to go completely unknown. They spent their entire lives running through hospital corridors, and the only time they got to take a breath and network with peers was at private medical conferences. For years, the only path to fame or recognition in medicine was through groundbreaking laboratory research, publishing heavy academic papers, or performing historic milestones like the first human heart transplants.

But then, the world changed. A single viral post could turn a regular resident like Dr. Mike into a global celebrity overnight. Yet, before that fame arrived, there was always a mountain of unseen work.

In a world where random influencers are pretending to be medical experts, I believe real medical experts must become influencers. With false health information constantly roaming around the internet, who else is going to protect the public? We constantly hear things like “don’t eat that, eat this raw” or “don’t put this on your skin.” Misinformation wrapped in ambiguity, running like hell. Medical influencers provide a shield of medically accurate advice to counter these dangerous internet trends.

Legally and ethically, doctors are generally not allowed to run aggressive marketing campaigns for themselves. But social media created a beautiful loophole. By simply sharing their daily life on Instagram or TikTok, a doctor can market their Praxis organically. They aren’t running an ad; they are just letting the world see who they are.

We can argue about the good and the bad of this trend forever. But when you look closely, there is a powerful duality to the med-influencer.

On the positive side, it breaks the white-coat mystery. It shows the reality of balance, that while you cannot always have a perfect life, you can still achieve it. We see everything from the unknown trauma surgeon with six children finding an invisible balance, to the doctor-entrepreneur and hospitalist who manage to find time to travel and be with family. They show that there is freedom, family, and a rich life outside the hospital walls, even when you spend most of your youth inside them.

But let’s not try to glamorize it completely either. It is incredibly hard, and some even quit. The weight of the responsibility, the missed holidays, and the lack of a social or personal life are very real.

Yet, the impact is undeniable. Young people get to see those who look like them being doctors, and seeing a professional who looks or speaks like you motivates the next generation to enter the field. It inspires young ones to go to medical school and even helps them choose a specific specialty.

But here is what people miss when they scroll past a viral clip from medical influencers: No one talks about the invisible journey. People see the 60-second video, but they don’t see the ultimate sacrifices behind it. They don’t see the internal struggle, the endless grinding, or the doctors who literally stay in the hospital for six days straight, living off adrenaline and bad coffee. They see a quick joke or a funny meme online, but they don’t see the grueling years spent studying internal medicine textbooks at 2 a.m., sharpening clinical skills in rare moments of free time, and writing super-detailed progress notes on every single patient.

And that is why the best med-influencers aren’t doing it just to show off. Whether in scrubs or dresses, in the OR or at a gala, the only influence worth chasing is creating inspiration, education, and positivity in response to the demoralization, misinformation, and negativity online. That is why so many choose to create content. Not for money, or attention, or because of insecurity, but because there is a real opportunity to do good in the world through these platforms.

Of course, the older generation of medicine looks at this with deep skepticism. Many people still say, “I would never go to a doctor who is constantly online. The best doctors are unseen, not dancing on TikTok.” There is a real fear that the dignity of the profession is being traded for views.

And then there is the dark side of the business. The danger starts when real medical professionals begin telling lies, exaggerating health scares, or promoting sketchy detox products just to secure a corporate sponsorship deal.

Medicine is no longer confined to sterile hospital walls. The loophole is open. But true influence isn’t about the clicks. It’s about honoring the heavy, unseen journey that happened before the camera ever turned on. As long as a doctor’s motivation is rooted in truth rather than a paycheck, med-influencer culture is a force for good.

Elizabeth Agyeman Prempeh is a physician in Germany.