For some, the image of a doctor brings feelings of calm and reassurance. It is the kind of profession a mom brags about at church with her friends, but when you see the way doctors use their TikTok platforms, you may want to consider adding an apple or two to your diet.
In the age of the internet, more medical professionals have started to increase their online presence. In a 2024 study conducted by Logan Van Ravenswaay et al. in “Medical Education Online”, 71% of healthcare professionals surveyed had a social media account. It is true that doctors are regular people when they step out of their scrubs. They have their own personal lives and their own families, but when a doctor posts on social media in their professional capacity, things can get muddled. Dr Karla Duque Jacome, for example, argues that a doctor’s mere opinions can come across as health advice as she believes that people on the internet will accept information presented by a doctor at face value without doing any further research. At times, this information may not even be accurate as views expressed by epidemiologist Dr Eric Feigl-Ding have been criticised by other experts in his field.
The MIT Technology Review has cautioned against medical professionals using TikTok carelessly as it can sometimes lead to posts that make people question their doctor’s trustworthiness. Regulars on the platform will know that comedic content is what garners virality, and that seemingly lighthearted posts can be read in an entirely different light.
Unfortunately for D Rose, the internet never forgets. This nurse came under fire for mocking patients who fake their symptoms, which some viewers found to be insensitive in light of patients whose symptoms are often discounted by medical professionals. This is especially true for female patients who, according to UNWomen, must often wait between four and twelve years before receiving a diagnosis and treatment for endometriosis.
As patients, we all expect high standards of professional conduct from the doctors who treat us. According to the “Principles of Clinical Ethics”, doctors have a responsibility to minimise harm to their patients and to respect their values and preferences. When medical practitioners poke fun at their patients or broadcast intimate patient procedures online, as seen with Katharine Roxanne Grawe, one can hardly feel safe and respected.
Not all tales of internet usage by doctors have a bad ending. According to the MIT Technology Review, medical professionals on social media can actually help to fight against misinformation. One positive example is Joel Bervell. He is a medical student who is doing the good work of debunking myths on racial biases in medicine online. Bervell sheds light on how medical practices and medical equipment exclude people of colour.
Clichés that warn one to not look up their symptoms online also apply to the TikTok doctors’ explanations of what your symptoms may represent. If you are a patient seeking support, you may want to double check the information you receive online. If you are a prospective medical practitioner, maybe think twice before posting.
