24 healthcare professionals worth following on social media
Each day, a dizzying array of healthcare stories and papers are published online, which could make it challenging for physicians to keep up with medical news and trends. Fortunately, many healthcare professionals are responding to the latest content on their social media channels, delivering information to followers that is both relevant and easy to consume.
Along with ease, social media has interactive elements that allow physicians to informally discuss health news with peers so they can clarify facts and strengthen their network. Out of the multitude of social media accounts, we’ve rounded up 24 leading healthcare professionals who are worth following.
Consider subscribing to these healthcare accounts
From Twitter to TikTok and beyond, healthcare professionals are sharing their insights through readable, listenable, and watchable content all over the internet for the benefit of patients and peers.
1. Dr. Nadia Alam (@DocSchmadia, Twitter)
A family physician and anesthetist, Dr. Alam uses the platform to provide a glimpse into the realities of the pandemic, including the toll it’s taken on frontline workers.
2. Dr. Horacio Arruda (@arrudahoracio, Twitter)
Dr. Arruda was the leader of the Public Health Department at the Minister of Health and Social Services in Québec for nearly 12 years. An active Twitter user, he took to the platform to deliver the latest on the pandemic.
3. Dr. Gaétan Barrette (@drgbarrette, Twitter)
Having practiced as a radiologist and occupied the seat of minister in Québec’s Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, Dr. Barrette now serves as a member of parliament for La Pinière. He tweets about issues at the intersection of health and politics.
4. Dr. Olivier Bernard (@le.pharmacien, Instagram)
Dr. Bernard describes himself as a geriatric millennial, but he’s more like a millennial Renaissance man. In addition to practicing as a pharmacist, he has published books, produced an award-winning radio docuseries, and animated a television series. His Instagram feed features comics about health topics.
5. Dr. Raj Bhardwaj (@RajBhardwajMD, Twitter)
Dr. Bhardwaj is a family physician based in Calgary who shares his perspectives on the many twists and turns of the COVID-19 pandemic on Twitter.
6. Dr. Isaac Bogoch (@BogochIsaac, Twitter)
An infectious disease physician and scientist at the Toronto General Hospital, Dr. Bogoch shares his perspectives on topics that span from infectious diseases to global health issues.
7. Dr. Naheed Dosani (@dr.naheed, TikTok)
Dr. Dosani is a palliative care physician who creates short, informative videos on TikTok. While his content originally focused on palliative care, he shifted his focus to distilling public health messages when the pandemic hit.
8. Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (@laurentduvernaytardif, Instagram)
Duvernay-Tardif is the medical expert to follow for sports fans. Balancing his NFL career with the pursuit of medicine, he created the LDT Foundation to enrich the health and education of elementary students with physical activity. Watch his feed for updates as he pursues medical residency.
9. Dr. Courtney Francis (@thegirlymd, Instagram)
Dr. Francis, also known as the Girly MD, is a pediatrics student who documents her daily life in medical school while sharing invaluable tips on how to succeed as a pre-med student.
10. Dr. Brian Goldman (@NightShiftMD, Twitter)
Dr. Goldman is a Canadian emergency physician, author, public speaker, and radio personality. He hosts White Coat, Black Art on CBC Radio One — a series that explores the culture of modern medicine and the Canadian healthcare system. Dr. Goldman is also the house doctor for the Afternoon Edition on CBC Radio One in Saskatchewan.
11. Dr. Jennifer Kwan (@jkwan.md, Twitter)
Dr. Kwan is a family physician based in Ontario who uses social media to provide clarity on the latest COVID-19 trends, which she often illustrates through graphs and data visualizations.
12. Bernard Lavallée (@nutricionisteurbain, Instagram)
Lavallée is a nutritionist and dietician — and podcaster. He uses his platform to answer questions and share inclusive information on eating and cultivating healthy food.
13. Dr. Joanne Liu (@DreJoanneLiu, Twitter)
Considering that Dr. Liu is the former international president of Médecins Sans Frontières, it’s not surprising to see her Twitter feed engage with global health concerns. Her tweets and retweets advocate and educate around issues like access to medical care.
14. Dr. Bertalan Meskó, (LinkedIn)
Considered one of LinkedIn’s top voices in healthcare, Dr. Meskó casts an inquisitive eye to the future in his posts, exploring how disruptive technologies can be harnessed to improve medicine.
15. Dr. Dominik Nowak (@DominikNowakMD, Twitter)
Dr. Nowak, Chief Medical Advisor and Chair, TELUS Medical Advisory Council, is also a family physician who advocates for using technology to enhance the delivery of healthcare. He shares links to articles he’s written and interviews he’s featured in, along with a wealth of other eye-opening content.
16. Geneviève O’Gleman (@oglemang, Instagram)
Geneviève O’Gleman is more than a nutritionist. She’s also an author, television producer, and general foodie. Her passions come together on Instagram where she shares beautifully photographed, healthy recipes.
17. Dr. Kevin Pho (@kevinmd, Twitter)
Dr. Pho boasts over 160,000 followers on Twitter and is also active on LinkedIn. As the founder of KevinMD.com, which is billed as social media’s leading physician voice, he frequently shares links to guest blogs by medical experts.
18. Dr. Kashif Pirzada (@KashPrime, Twitter)
An emergency department physician in the Greater Toronto Area, Dr. Pirzada covers the pandemic, engaging in thoughtful discussion with industry experts and sharing his thoughts on timely articles.
19. Dr. Cedric “Jamie” Rutland (@Drjrutland, YouTube)
On his YouTube channel Medicine Deconstructed, Dr. Rutland, a pulmonary critical care physician, breaks down a range of complex medical topics — from asthma to microorganisms.
20. Dr. Sandy Skotnicki (@drsandyskotnicki, Instagram)
Widely regarded as the go-to dermatologist in Canada, Dr. Skotnicki puts the spotlight on ingredient reactions and safety on her Instagram account. She also regularly contributes to medical journals and lifestyle media outlets.
21. Dr. Theresa Tam (@CPHO_Canada, Twitter)
Canada’s chief public health officer uses Twitter to provide insight on everything from how to reduce the spread of COVID-19 to where to find the latest epidemiology reports. Dr. Tam was even ranked in Twitter’s annual list of top Canadian accounts in 2020.
22. Dr. Eric Topol (@EricTopol, Twitter)
Dr. Topol is an American cardiologist who founded and directs the Scripps Research Translational Institute. His Twitter account delivers the latest health and medical technology news while sharing thought-provoking articles and papers.
23. Dr. Bryce Wylde (@wyldeonhealth, Twitter)
Dr. Wylde is a functional medicine clinician and TV host for the show named Wylde on Health, which explores topics such as homeopathy, clinical nutrition, supplementation, and botanical medicine and features informative expert interviews.
24. Dr. Samantha Yammine (@science.sam, Instagram)
Dr. Yammine, also known as Science Sam, is a neuroscientist and science communicator. She regularly posts videos that cut through the clutter of science news, helping followers debunk medical misinformation and have better-informed discussions.
TELUS Health’s social media accounts are also useful places to get the latest information and advice on leveraging technology to elevate care. Check out TELUS Health on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube.
Stay current with industry trends through social.
With the healthcare industry changing at a rapid pace, it’s more important than ever to know the latest news. A great way to do this is through your daily scroll on social media — especially Twitter, which is a particularly significant platform for physicians. To dive deeper, healthcare providers can also engage with the top medical publications and podcasts and contribute to the conversation by embracing their own channels to share best practices with peers and patients.