Docnetizen is a concept inspired by the “physician-citizen” model, which emphasizes the role physicians play within their communities outside of a hospital or clinic setting. As an aspiring physician currently in medical school, I was struck by this excerpt from an article written on the topic nearly twenty years ago that lists two considerations:
“First, physicians have professional responsibilities that require them to engage in activities and processes beyond the office setting. Second, because these responsibilities are open ended and in many ways limitless, the role of each physician is to choose some activities that are consistent with his or her expertise, interests, and situation.”1
At first, I was not sure where to begin my journey in community engagement, as I am still within the beginnings of my career in the field of medicine with no practice to engage my community with. I later realized that I had a platform for advocacy all along: the internet. I grew up living in the age of computers and social media, learning to navigate and survive our technology-filled world. Over time, I learned to appreciate all the benefits that the internet has given me, and now it has given me my chance to be a medical advocate. My content is meant not only to point out my perspective on medical issues, but to add in research that highlights information that maybe useful for anyone like you my dear readers. Not only do I want to educate and inform, but also make sure sure my content is enjoyable and entertaining.
As a fellow netizen, I hope you all join me in my journey to learning about the science and magic of medicine!
1Gruen, Russell L., et al. “Physician-Citizens—Public Roles and Professional Obligations.” JAMA : The Journal of the American Medical Association, vol. 291, no. 1, 2004, pp. 94–98, https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.291.1.94.