In today’s challenging healthcare landscape, physicians tackle a long list of responsibilities, from taking care of patients and daily administrative tasks to navigating social determinants of health. Few understand the challenges faced by doctors like other doctors, and having ways for physicians to connect with each other to discuss life, work, and even clinical issues is vital. Here are six of the top digital platforms and online resources that are by physicians for physicians.
1. SERMO
SERMO is a physician-only social network of over 800,000 doctors. This “Facebook-for-physicians” platform is anonymous and extremely active. In SERMO, physicians can share, discuss, and learn from their knowledgeable colleagues in a safe, secure, and anonymous environment. The platform presents a unique opportunity for physicians to crowdsource medical advice on difficult cases from fellow physicians.
If the size or location of your medical practice doesn’t allow many opportunities to consult with fellow physicians in person (or if you’re reluctant to discuss difficult cases for political reasons), SERMO gives you the access you want to the minds you need to for those puzzling cases.
2. Student Doctor Network
Helping to train and mentor medical students and residents is an endeavor many doctors find rewarding. SDN is a nonprofit educational organization that does just that. The site provides advising resources, tools, and peer-support forums for students entering the medical field. The site is helpfully organized around eight different doctoral-level health fields: dental, medical, pharmacy, podiatry, psychology, rehabilitation sciences, and veterinary.
SDN resources for students cover all stages of the become-a-medical-professional journey, whether they’re struggling with the intensity of med school classes or searching for their first job in health care. If you’re ready to pay-it-forward, consider joining SDN’s highly active forum where you can help mentor the next generation of physicians.
3. Doximity
Doximity is like LinkedIn for doctors — a professional digital network of over one million healthcare providers. Use it to search for, reach out to, and stay connected with other medical professionals, including fellow residents. And be sure to keep your own profile updated, as potential employers (and prospective clients) access this network to find just the right medical professional to fit their needs. It’s today’s version of a business card.
Doximity also provides a handful of other useful features, like the ability to compare regional salaries and send HIPAA-secure faxes from your mobile device.
4. Physician on FIRE
Part of the White Coat Investor network, Physician on FIRE is a personal finance blog focused on helping high-income professionals in the medical field get the most out of their earnings (FIRE stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early). As the name implies, this great resource provides tips and strategies on how to save and invest the bulk of your income so you can retire when and how you want.
When incomes get high, taxes and other financial matters get more complex. Physician on FIRE is written by a doctor who walks the talk and provides recommendations specific to a physician’s unique economic circumstances.
Will you be ready to retire when and how you want? If you’re not sure, check out Physician on FIRE today.
5. GomerBlog
GomerBlog is a satirical news blog for the medical profession. Think The Onion for healthcare. If you work in medicine, you’ll probably get a real kick out of the cultural nuances and inside jokes they use to poke fun at the medical profession.
While the business of saving lives is certainly a serious one, sometimes it’s important to take some time off to laugh and enjoy the lighter side of things. GomerBlog is a hilarious source of medical-themed content for when you need some perspective.
Because of the high stakes involved, the medical field has one of the highest burnout rates of any profession. When the stress of the job starts getting to you, visit GomerBlog and laugh at some of the unique absurdities of the medical profession.
6. Mom MD
Women in medicine experience a unique set of challenges. Luckily for you if you’re a woman physician, there’s a website dedicated to helping you navigate them.
Mom MD is an online magazine, community, and resource directory for women physicians and medical students. The site has a good balance of professional, educational, and personal online resources for the female physician and addresses topics unique to women’s healthcare.
If you have a question specific to being a woman in medicine, or a question related to caring for a woman’s health, Mom MD is a great place to go for answers. Once you’re there, use the platform to connect with other like minds and feel part of something larger.
What online resources are your go-to sites for conversation, news, and updates about your profession? Please share your favorites in the comments below.
