My Experience as Physician with a Social Media Presence

Y’all, it’s been an interesting experience indeed. I began SAC my 2^nd year of medical school when I desperately needed a creative outlet. Before starting, I definitely thought about how blogging would positively impact my mental health, sense of balance, and, ultimately, my financial wellness. I did not, however, consider if having a social media presence would impact my experience as a resident and, more holistically, as a physician. What will my employers think? What will my patients think? Will my colleagues have things to say? None of that came to mind when I pressed publish on my very first blog post. In fact, they were not considerations until I moved to NYC for residency.

I’ve always been proud of my blog and my body of work. I love the fashion I display and the positivity I exude. I love that I can use my story to help, bless, and encourage other students. The only reason I did not discuss my blog on my residency application is because a med school advisor told me it may be seen as a “distraction.” More on that later. The point is I never hid my social media presence from my doctor life and the goings on therein. As a matter of fact, I combined them. I’ve been making seamless transitions between scrubs and stilettos here on SAC for some time now—demonstrating doctors can do it all—and of that I am very proud.

I didn’t think twice about being a doctor with a social media presence until I arrived to my residency program and was condemned by sad and ignorant folks about projections I made about MY future career goals on MY social media page. If I’m being honest, it was at that point I started to feel as though I was under a microscope at work. It can be isolating to feel you’re the only one at work being watched or checked up on, but we move. I have a public page so brands can find me and so I can generate more business. I absolutely went on a blocking frenzy after the above incident, but I did not block everybody at work. I did not feel I had to. I have amazing co-residents who are so kind, supportive, and constantly cheer me on. I’ll never forget their reaction to my Dunkin’ campaign. Ha! Love y’all! I also have some amazing advisors too! But who else is watching? Did anyone slip through the cracks of my blocking trigger finger and find ways to share more senseless, unwarranted updates with my bosses? I was told my social media page was absolutely under scrutiny (more than average because of my following) while my current residency program evaluated me prior to the match. They wanted to ensure I had the “spirit of Family Medicine,” whatever that means. I wonder if they checked up on that spirit in some of my colleagues (residents and faculty) who also dual applied to and showed interest in other specialties. OOP! Let’s pay attention to errrrrrybody, not just those with a platform. People admitted to having preconceived notions about me based on my page; assuming my personality would be one way and discovering the opposite. I was even told some people were a little obsessed with my activity (Mariah Carey voice) simply because of my social presence. Those persons either wanted to be in close proximity or heavily criticize what they could not control…and it showed. Weird. Bizarre. Is any of that my problem and should it stop me from living my absolute best? Does any of this impact my patient care? Should I abscond from the social media space and eliminate the amazing opportunities I’ve been afforded? Nah. Did people back off when I set boundaries and explicitly stated I will not be controlled? Yes.

And y’all, I don’t know if you noticed, but I’m not the typical health care professional influencer. I’m not out here dancing to TikTok trending sounds while informing you about monkey pox. I am, however, dropping it like it’s hot to Beyonce’s new twerk anthem, “THIQUE.”

Yes, I share plenty student tips and discuss my journey as a physician, but I’m also gonna give you these looks, show you how to wear color, take you on tours of the city, and explain to you why I’m deleting dating apps after a 2 week trial period. Sure, my patients wouldn’t be surprised by the former, but what about the latter?  Sometimes I do think, “Should I share this?” “Is this too much?” “Is this outfit ok?” I’m usually in scrubs, but sometimes this thigh meat does make an appearance. Then I remembered:

I am a human being—a multifaceted one at that—before I am a physician. Honestly, who cares what other people think? I’m not doing anything wrong. I get to show up as me—all of me—when and how I want. I decide for me the decorum I will follow. As I informed my program admins after that intern year debacle, if I am not on social media doing drugs and dancing on tables, I am to be left alone. My exact words. I have thought about seeing my doctor on social media and what my thoughts would be. I would absolutely think, “Okkkkkk! Get it Mama!” and keep it pushing. My social media presence is Beautiful. It is Aspirational. It is Influential. It is Profitable. And while it can be a bit jolting for a colleague to come up to me and reference something I did and posted over the weekend (ha!), it’s also kinda dope. I love when people recognize me in the hospital or on the street and tell me how my story impacted them or how I just influenced their last purchase. Living my life out loud is dope and I will not stop. I wish even more physicians donned that attitude and made more space for their creative outlets. I wonder how much burnout, early retirement, physician shortage, and even physician suicide we could avoid. So many health care professionals have social media pages now. Medicine is not the end all be all for so many of us anymore. Social media is fun and lucrative, so why not indulge? For me, having SAC as a creative outlet means I get to practice balance, show up for me, and, therefore, show up all the more (refreshed and ready as can be) for my patients. That’s not something I need to hide. It’s something I should continuously pursue and be proud of.

I hope this post encourages anyone in any profession to press publish on that blog post. Press create profile with that new savvy social media handle. You may start to feel like you’re under a microscope like me, but if that’s the case then baby, give them a show! Living your life out loud and on a social platform is not for the faint of heart. Taking that posture will open you up to criticism. Still, it’s not something you have to tolerate, especially not in the workplace. That’s called harassment. That’s called illegal. That’s called…call my lawyer. I promise you it’s worth it to have something you love outside of medicine; something that’s just for you. And health care professionals, you can keep it cute and keep it professional while still posting non-medical topics. Live your lives, y’all. You only get one and I plan on getting EVERYTHING God has in store for me. Yes, especially my social media blessings, ok?!

My dress is on sale! Shop the look below:

xx,

Photos by Sweetie Mensah

Preset by Tina Smith