Your doctor is probablyusing social mediaat some point in their day.
Granted, being online wasnt always typical for me.
I used to shy away from it completely.
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Until one day the light bulb clicked on inside my head.
Or maybe it was more of a dimmer, but growing brighter over the course of several months.
I started to see value in tapping into social media from both a health-care and personal wellness perspective.
But that wasnt solely what drew me in.
I also felt like Ihadto be on itlike I had an obligation to science.
), what peoplebelievedand were talking about,as if they were Real Things.
Id stare at Twitter withpseudoscience laughing maniacally back at me, daring me to make my move.
At first, I didnt do anything.
I felt that I needed tomany of us didas we found ourselves defending evidence-based medicine more and more.
I created my own brand (@drcorriel), purchased a domain, and started towrite a blog.
If other professions did it with such ease, why couldnt physicians do it too?
But it has since evolved into so much more.
Today, we are over 3,300 physicians strong and growing in number each day.
We also have in-person meet-ups called SoMeDocs Engage, to connection with one another and grow even more.
People are going to disagree with you, and not everyone is so nice about it.
If you are speaking on a controversial topic, people may attack you.
While debate is important, being attacked helps no one.
Social media has taught me that doctors need to be flexible and capable of relating to the changing environment.
Doctors belong on social media to provide evidence-based knowledge in the midst of trends and misinformation.
I also share my love of books, history, and nonfiction.
Further, I write to highlight the experiences of the working mom.
With my inclusion of telemedicine, I’ve learned to direct patients to these services more easily.
I am on social media to inspire underrepresented students to pursue a career in medicine.
I use it to educate, motivate, and inspire others.
I provide health information as well as mentor students who want to be physicians.
It is a way to reach a wider audience and have our voices heard.
This is our future and we need to have enough representation to dispel false information.
They look to social media to educate themselves and obtain information on their conditions.
If we can’t beat them, join them.
We can use it to convey positive or negative messages.
I believe doctors still have a powerful voice.
We just need to practice harnessing it better for people and social media does just that.
My presence on social media morphed into an outlet to share fitness, wellness, and healthy practices.
Information shared and discussions had on social media with colleagues have definitely impacted my patient care.
Developing content that is pertinent has also taught me to explore the impact of myownwellness on my patients.
Patients benefit from being cared for physicians who are invested, happy, and well.
To help people live a long, happy, healthy, and productive life.
Its not for everyone.
You have to have a thick skin to wade into the cyber-sewer.
But when your writing resonates and moves people for the better, it is amazing.
Im a family physician who’s worked in multiple health care parameters over the last two decades.
I use the information [on social media] to formulate ideas.
I use social media as a means to amplify voices of science and reason.
Social media is an unparalleled way for physicians to reach hundreds of thousands of people across the world.
Without it, we are relegated to a one-on-one message in our exam rooms.
Social media can be a blessing or a curse.
It can be isolating but it can also bring connection.
It is a tool like any other.
We just have to know how to use it properly and it can be a wonderful thing.
Additionally, I use social media to start conversations and share health information with my patients and community.
I am on social media because [I was] a physician who became a patientnegatively impacted by benzodiazepines.
I use my personal Twitter account to share my experience so that spread awareness aboutthe difficulty of tapering.
Ive learned through my numerous social media interactions withpatients undergoing benzodiazepine withdrawalto be more empathetic and caring.
My oncology patients would bring articles on unscientific, sometimes dangerous treatments.
They would believe this information was true because it was published online, or stated by a celebrity.
As physicians, a part of our job is to educate and engage with patients and the community.
Social media provides a wonderful forum for this.
We are able to help individuals become more informed patients or advocates.
There are also individuals who like to troll.
Those interactions can be frustrating.
I have also seen discussions devolve into arguments.
As physicians, we must remain professional when engaging on social media.
I also use it to make connections within the writing community.
Although journalists and bloggers do this as well, physicians are still the repositories of medical knowledge.
Together, we have the opportunity to change behaviors and policies.
I’ve learned countless ER tips and tricks and read fascinating cases.
Within social media groups, I’ve learned about creating a website and an online persona.
Within the food allergy/celiac groups, I’ve found resources for my own child and for my patients.
Information-sharing is one of the greatest benefits of social media.
Social media has changed that, enabling us to discuss cases and learn from each other.
