New Delhi: Is it safe to take painkillers during your period? Are green tea and turmeric milk good for you? Can eating two whole eggs daily raise blood cholesterol? Many such queries are explained succinctly by the likes of ‘The Liver Doc’, ‘Dr Cuterus’, or ‘Bacchon Ki Doctor’ in reels, videos, and posts.
Welcome to the world of doctor influencers. From sexual to gut health and paediatrics to daily wellness, these doctors are disseminating information, busting myths, promoting health literacy, and empowering viewers to take charge of their health and well-being. In the process, these new age doctors make a name for themselves on social media with a band of loyal followers.
For many of these medical professionals, the widespread misinformation—driven by random Google searches and misleading social media posts—that has led to misconceptions and improper treatments, motivated them to turn to social media. They are committed to providing accurate, science-backed information and empowering people to make informed health decisions. Several have teams to assist with content production, and some have even set up full-fledged studios to make their content more professional.
This has led to a growing community of doctors, like Dr Arpit Bansal, who manages a 200-bed NABH-accredited multispecialty hospital in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj, leveraging platforms like Facebook, X, and Instagram to share information despite their hectic schedule.
Dr Bansal is at ease as he adjusts the ring light and the microphone positioned near his desk. With a warm smile, he begins recording, effortlessly breaking down the complexities of gut health in a way that’s both insightful and relatable. His stethoscope is casually draped over his shoulders. Within minutes, his video is posted on different social media platforms, quickly gaining momentum and raking in hundreds of shares.
Like any other doctor managing a hospital, Dr Bansal’s work starts early. By 9.30 am, he’s heading to the Jeevan Jyoti Hospital, where he starts by making his rounds.
During breaks between seeing OPD patients or when the schedule allows for some flexibility, the oncologist uses the time to create content. “For instance, noticing a surge in gallbladder stone patients recently, I addressed common questions and concerns from my patients over the past week and turned those insights into informative videos,” he told ThePrint.
Bansal has a reach of 93.2k on Instagram and 4.07k subscribers on YouTube, with his videos garnering millions of views.
Widely recognised as ‘The Liver Doc’, Dr Abby Philips, a hepatologist and clinical scientist from Kerala, identified a significant gap between the health information patients and their families needed and what they were actually receiving.
“When I started my practice as a junior consultant in 2016, I noticed that many of the diseases and issues my patients faced were preventable. I often found myself explaining that these problems could have been avoided by following simple preventive measures,” he told ThePrint.
Despite his efforts, patients continued to arrive in critical conditions. This repeated pattern drove Dr Philips to step beyond the confines of outpatient care and focus on educating the public. His mission took on greater urgency when he saw people falling prey to misinformation, particularly regarding alternative medicine. “That’s where the real challenge began,” he said, reflecting on the motivation behind his efforts to reach out to the masses and combat harmful myths through accessible and accurate health education.
Today, he has a following of over 2,80,000 on X, 69,100 on Instagram, and 41,800 on YouTube.
Similarly, Dr Tanaya Narendra, popularly known as ‘Dr Cuterus’, began creating content in 2020 to address the widespread misinformation surrounding menstrual health. She is a sexual health educator, trained medical doctor, embryologist, and scientist.
“I noticed an influx of bogus WhatsApp messages and myths about periods, with people sharing misguided advice on what to do during menstruation,” she explained.
Motivated by a desire to debunk these myths, Dr Narendra set out to provide accurate, science-backed information to educate and empower her audience.
With over one million Instagram followers and 50 million YouTube views, Dr Narendra is one of India’s most popular medical professionals on social media. Using humour, fairy tales, and relatable metaphors, Dr Narendra simplifies complex medical and sexual health topics in an inclusive, gender-neutral manner, creating a safe and stigma-free community for open conversations.
Also Read: From cancer to diabetic retinopathy, how AIIMS is betting big on AI to aid in diagnostics
‘Prevention is better than cure’
Dr Sudhir Kumar, a neurologist at Hyderabad’s Apollo Hospital, reflects on his 30 years of medical practice, observing a trend—instead of patient numbers declining, they’re increasing exponentially. “Whether it’s heart attacks, strokes, or any disease, the statistics show a sharp rise,” he says.
This realisation led him to question society’s approach to health. “Clearly, we’re not doing something right. In medical education, we’re trained to treat diseases after a person becomes a patient. But we all know prevention is better than cure.”
Motivated by this gap, Dr Kumar decided to take on a new role—educating healthy individuals on avoiding illness. “My goal on social media is to guide people on staying healthy, so fewer people turn into patients. If I can help even a few avoid hospital visits or needing a doctor like me, that’s a success.”
Dr Kumar has a reach of 81,200 followers on X where he keeps sharing useful information about cancer, while busting myths. He is known by his username @hyderabaddoctor.
Also Read: From cancer to diabetic retinopathy, how AIIMS is betting big on AI to aid in diagnostics
Balancing two fronts
Health influencers, many of whom are practicing doctors, face the significant challenge of balancing patient care with content creation. To manage this, most rely on a dedicated team to support the production process.
“With the experience I have now, it takes at least two to three hours to create a one-minute video,” Dr Pal Manickam, an American board-certified gastroenterologist at Mercy General Hospital and Mercy San Juan Medical Center in Sacramento, California, said. “Initially, it was just me and two others—an editor and someone to discuss content ideas with. It was a small team, and we had a lot of fun back then. But as the team grew, the work became more structured, and I had to focus on maintaining quality without compromise.”
Dr Manickam has a massive reach of 1.6 million on Instagram and 3.3 million on Youtube.
Building and managing a team wasn’t easy, he said. “With a team of five, we’ve learned to assign tasks based on strengths. For example, one member shifted from managing the content calendar to coordination, where she excelled. It’s been a learning process, but we’ve found a balance.”
Similarly, according to Dr Bansal, he cannot manage technical aspects like editing and posting, so his team helps him regarding the same. “However, the shooting, scripting, and planning of the content, everything, is entirely done by me,” he said.
Dr Philips shared how he juggles his hospital work from 10 am to as late as 7 pm, often surprising people who assume he spends all his time on social media. “Some even question if I’m really a doctor,” he said. “My social media activity, including detailed posts about cases or diseases, is entirely spontaneous, written in bits and shared once ready—never planned or scheduled.”
Like his colleagues, Dr Sajjan Rajapurohit has a novel way of dealing with the twin fronts. The oncologist at Delhi’s BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital streamlines his content creation by producing it in bulk. He runs his own podcast called the ‘Onco Talks’ where he holds conversations with various other doctors on cancer-related topics.
This approach, he said, ensures a steady flow of posts even during his busy schedule with patients. “My team prepares the content in advance and manages posting when I’m unavailable.”
Some healthcare influencers operate solo, as in the case of Dr Madhavi Bharadwaj, a paediatrician popularly known as ‘Bachchon Ki Doctor’. Her content has been mostly about child healthcare and parenting. Dr Bharadwaj takes care of content creation, editing, posting, and streamlining—all while managing her clinic in Chandigarh and caring for her newborn at home. “I only have one manager who helps filter communications for me,” she said to ThePrint.
Before becoming a mother, Dr Bharadwaj had a packed schedule. She would admit patients at the hospital by 8 am, return to run her clinic, Lifetree Healthcare, until 2.30 pm, and spend her evenings creating and editing videos using just her phone.
After her child was born, she adjusted her routine to work shorter hours in the evening and set aside two days a week specifically for recording content. The rest of her time, she said, is now spent balancing her professional commitments while enjoying moments with her daughters.
Tickling the funny bone
In one of his videos that has 3 million-plus views, Dr Imran Patel is seen entertaining a young patient with sweets and playful banter. A toy is perched on the paediatrician’s shoulder, as he deftly uses a syringe to vaccinate the child, who is laughing throughout the entire clip.
Dr Patel, who runs a children’s hospital in Ahmedabad, has videos with millions of views, over 1,15,000 likes, and thousands of comments applauding his gentle approach with children. “It all started with one video my colleague shot while I was vaccinating a child, and it went viral,” he said. In less than 2 years, he has amassed over 8 million followers on Instagram and 6 million subscribers on YouTube.
The element of comedy is vital for Dr Manickam, who said that he writes multiple jokes for each video and brainstorms with his team to select the one that resonates most at the time. He emphasised that for him, it’s not just about delivering information, it’s about modulation, voice control, and expression. “It takes time to perfect the delivery,” he told ThePrint.
Dr Purohit, on the other hand, enjoys experimenting with his content. “From interactive games to a conversational style, we focus on creating engaging material that resonates with our audience.”
Also Read: From scans & surgery to skincare, all under one roof, India’s pet clinics are getting modern upgrade
Monetising content
Although most of these health professionals say they didn’t start out with the aim to earn money out of the content production, but, having gained the immense following and reach, many have been able to monetise their content, sometimes directly and indirectly.
According to Dr Manickam, while he earns from YouTube, the revenue depends on the audience’s location. Compared to US-based doctors, his earnings are significantly lower due to India’s lower revenue per view. Despite nearly 5 million subscribers across platforms, his content earnings amount to less than a third of his income from his full-time gastroenterology practice, he told ThePrint.
Dr Bharadwaj shared that her patient flow has increased significantly, especially with new mothers who connect with her both online and in the clinic. “Apart from regular consultations, I also conduct workshops on weekends, which contribute to some level of monetisation.”
For Dr Bansal, his sessions before the camera opens up indirect opportunities. Giving examples, the surgeon said his channel’s focus on concepts like ‘Blue Mind’, which addresses stress management, has led to invitations as a guest speaker at global conferences. These engagements, he said, though not always paid, sometimes provide earnings while expanding professional networks and knowledge exchange.
Dr Cuterus’s content, in her words, acts as a “portfolio”, opening doors to corporate workshops, collaborations with government and NGOs for public health messaging, and consultancy work with think tanks. While in the US, she even earned directly from META for her content—a programme not available in India. These avenues, she said, significantly contribute to financial growth while showcasing her expertise in science communication and public health.
Recognised for her innovative approach to medical education, Dr Cuterus was named Sexual Health Influencer of the Year 2020 by SH24, featured among Cosmopolitan’s Top 25 Disruptors of India in 2021, and awarded Health Influencer of the Year by the Integrated Health And Wellbeing Council, supported by NITI Aayog and Ayushman Bharat.
While acknowledging that while he monetises his content, Dr Philips says its broader impact lies in attracting patients from far-off places including Kashmir, despite him not offering telemedicine for new patients.
“Patients book tickets and travel to see me, but many of them require only primary care—basic advice on exercise, diet, etc,” he explained. As a hepatologist, he believes such cases should be managed by general practitioners, as they take up slots meant for referred patients requiring specialised care. “It’s diluting my quality practice to some extent,” he admitted, though he remains committed to helping everyone who seeks his expertise.
Challenges in creating healthcare content
Medical professionals highlighted the nuanced challenges of creating content on social media, emphasising the balance between awareness and accuracy.
Dr Bharadwaj warns that medical advice isn’t universal. “Social media is great for raising awareness, but it’s not a replacement for hospital visits or personalised care. Treatment should always be confirmed with your doctor,” she said, cautioning against relying solely on online content for healthcare decisions.
Building on this, Dr Sudhir Kumar underlined the importance of staying updated, likening it to teaching. “Medical science evolves rapidly. Content must reflect the latest knowledge to ensure accuracy, much like teaching requires preparation and constant learning.”
It is important to stick to one’s expertise, says Dr Philips. “Creative freedom should prioritise valuable, domain-specific information over trending but irrelevant topics,” he said, warning against creating content on unrelated topics just to gain traction.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
Also Read: 5 yrs after cancellation, FCRA license restored for free clinic serving Bhopal gas leak survivors