by Social media can be one of the richest digital sources to learn about your health. Whether you’re looking for inspiration and advice to adopt new routines, searching for a community to share experiences of a condition, or simply hoping for interactive content that makes healthcare a little more digestible, social media can help.
That’s why we’ve spent (several) hours on Instagram researching and narrowing down the top 9 medical influencers we’re confident can support you with all your medical curiosities. Here they are:
1. Emily Jacobs
Qualified gynecologist and infertility fellow Emily Jacobs has more than 14.1k followers thanks to her empathetic, concise, and informative posts. Emily shares pictures of her professional life, giving a snapshot of what it means to be a surgeon, as well as shares her personal stories from pregnancy. She answers how much caffeine is OK to drink when pregnant, why weight gain is natural, and why medical consultations often run late.
For anyone wondering about motherhood, fertility, or a career in OB-GYN, Emily’s account is refreshingly down to earth, fact-based, and has a strong dose of female empowerment.
2. Jolene Brighten
Jolene Brighten is a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine and specializes in women’s hormones. Renowned for her published book Beyond The Pill, Jolene shares content around how women can manage side effects of birth control such as decreased libido, acne, and period pains. She also posts about Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which affects up to 12% of the female population. Jolene Brighten’s videos are engaging and easy-to-follow, so it’s no surprise that she has a massive following.
3. Tia Paul
Dermatologist Tia Paul graduated from Cornell, Harvard Medical School, and the University of Miami Dermatology, and is a fierce advocate for healthy skin. Originally from India, Tia shares videos delving into common problems for brown skin, offering simple and safe solutions, as well as tips to recognize melanoma. Tia’s account is professional without being overwhelming and emphasizes the beauty of natural skin blemishes.
Tia’s page is packed with straightforward guides to conditions like eczema, Vitiligo, sunscreens, and hyperpigmentation for both men and women.
4. Heather Irobunda
Board-certified gynecologist Heather Irobunda is arguably one of the coolest doctors on social media. The army veteran has an abundance of content that varies from her dancing to her having open, frank conversations about sex. Like Dr. Brighten, polycystic ovary syndrome features heavily in her content. Dr. Irobunda looks at symptoms, misconceptions, and treatments for the condition.
She also isn’t afraid to discuss healthcare news and what it means for the general public and their bodies. Heather’s straight-talking attitude and celebration of women has earned her 48.7k followers (and counting).
5. Temeka Zore
Dr. Zore is an OBGYN that specializes in fertility and fertility treatments. Her content is exceptionally relatable as she is a fertility doctor, but one who just had a baby herself and went through fertility treatments having both her own children. She also makes easily digestible TikTok-style content on general reproductive health topics. These videos are interspersed between other bits of content that include article recommendations, quotes, and peeks into Dr. Zore’s personal life and journey as a mother.
6. Mike Natter
A unique combination of doctor and artist, Mike Natter is famous for his medical cartoons that depict his daily life working in a hospital, explanations about type 1 diabetes (which Matt has), plus kid-friendly explanations about the body and illness. His works often include recognizable characters from TV shows, so they are particularly great for helping little ones come to grips with complex health conditions or to give budding doctors a peek into physician’s routines. But don’t worry, Dr. Natter’s page is plenty entertaining for everyone—especially medical nerds like us!
If you like your medical knowledge with a heavy addition of creativity, Mike Natter should be on your news feed. To fuel your obsession, Dr. Natter also sells his one-of-a-kind artwork via his Instagram.
7. Nurse Sarah
Nurse Sarah is a registered nurse based in Florida who has worked in progressive care (PCU), telemetry, and medical-surgical. She also has experience in non-invasive cardiology as a stress lab nurse and as a charge nurse.
Sarah’s videos span tutorials on how an IV drip is inserted, how blood flows to the heart, and breakdowns of different medicines and what they treat. She also uploads funny memes about being a student nurse, plus content about nurse salaries, responsibilities, and why nurses change their careers. If you’re looking for an honest review of nursing life, this is the account for you.
Nurse Sarah’s impressive following carries over to a YouTube channel dedicated to teaching basic nursing skills like how to apply a tourniquet.
8. Doctor Rachel
Doctor Rachel graduated from Oxford University and specializes in nutrition, wellbeing, and mind and body care. She sits on the editorial board for the European Medical Journal and is due to release her third book about medical procedures soon. Her Instagram features photos of her at work in the UK, discussing mental health and self-care. During strict lockdowns, Doctor Rachel also uploaded advice about anxiety and how to recognize and manage it. Dr. Rachel also posts her vacation pictures alongside her professional content, giving her account a more personable feel.
9. Maggie Yu
Maggie Yu focuses on autoimmune diseases. Her Instagram has a number of cool graphics highlighting ways to lower the risk of autoimmune diseases, interviews with colleagues, and accounts of patients’ struggles with various conditions. Maggie Yu additionally is a natural health advocate and helps people with food mapping and runs the 10 Day Water Challenge, where people are encouraged to maximize their water intake and track the results. Dr. Yu also often offers live workshops through her Instagram page.
Author Bio
Lauren Young is the Director of Brand Marketing at PainTheory, a digital marketing platform that connects specialized medical professionals to niche patients. She and her team currently focus on helping women with fibroids find care.
