Doctors are the new cool content creators

On National Doctors’ Day, meet these docs, who are making health information fun and accessible

If we tell you that you can follow your doctor on social media and get health tips — peppered with quirky content — daily, would you believe us? Today, this is possible, thanks to some doctors making informative and entertaining health-related content on social media. We speak to a few of these “doctor influencers”, who share what drives them to go the extra mile to create content for their followers, despite their hectic schedules.

Dr Akshat Chadha; @dr_akshat (16.9K followers)

MBBS, MBA (Healthcare management)

When I started seeing so much health misinformation floating all over social media, I just had to do my bit in making the right resources available. My soul purpose of being on social media is to provide a credible source for people, so that they know what information is correct. I was a little apprehensive about being taken seriously at first, but the response has been amazing. I create content around health conditions such as diabetes, thyroid, hypertension, obesity, PCOS, and more. I take out at least two hours during the week and shoot the videos in bulk.

Dr Rashi Agarwal; @drrashipsychiatrist (21.1K followers)

MBBS, MD Psychiatry

I started making health-related content during Covid-19 when I was working in a psychiatry ward. I noticed that so many people were asking the same questions. So, I’d pick common problems and answer them in a video. Today, I also bust mental health myths in my “Pysch Talks” segment. Speaking about stigmatised issues, I feel, is extremely important. When I started out in 2020, there weren’t many mental health content creators. Now, it’s a booming segment.

Dr Sid warrier; @thesidwarrier (50.3K followers)

MBBS, MD Medicine, DM Neurology

My journey as a content creator started when I posted on Twitter about an online neuro class I was conducting. After the sessions, students started asking if I had uploaded my classes somewhere. That is when I got the idea of a YouTube channel. I even did a video with comedian Tanmay Bhatt. With my content on brain health, I aim to reach out to the younger generation as social media is the norm today.

Dr Riddhima Shetty; @friendly_neighbourhood_obgyn (32.8K followers)

MBBS, MS, DNB OBGY

When I started my practice, I realised that basic knowledge about reproductive health was severely lacking in people. The fault was in our education system; sex education was a topic that was shushed in school days. It’s a widely misunderstood and tabooed subject. My vision with social media is to send the message: We are here to treat, not berate! I make content on all kinds of reproductive health topics, from periods to pregnancy.

Author tweets @digvijatitis