About The Social Scrub-In: Where Doctors Get Socially Savvy
Brought to you by The Corcoran Collective, a marketing firm specializing in strategic storytelling for mission-driven organizations, The Social Scrub-In is a practical blog series created for physicians who want to navigate the digital world with purpose. Each post offers tailored insights to help medical professionals use platforms like LinkedIn to elevate their voice, grow their network, and shape the future of healthcare—without needing to become influencers. This is where medicine meets modern communication.
🧠 Why LinkedIn Matters for Physicians
In the evolving landscape of modern medicine, professional visibility is no longer confined to journal publications or conference podiums. In 2025, LinkedIn has emerged as a vital platform for physicians to build professional capital, expand networks, and amplify their voices in clinical, academic, and policy settings.
While social media may seem peripheral to clinical care, physicians who engage strategically on LinkedIn often find themselves with increased opportunities for speaking engagements, research collaborations, leadership roles, and broader influence in healthcare discourse. Your digital footprint is a critical extension of your professional identity.
You don’t need to become a full-time content creator or influencer. But you do need to be intentional. Thoughtful engagement—rooted in your clinical and academic expertise—can position you as a trusted voice in your specialty and beyond.
🚦 Getting Started: Building a Clinically-Informed LinkedIn Profile
Your LinkedIn profile should reflect both your credentials and your commitment to advancing medicine. Here’s how to optimize your profile step by step:
1. Add a Professional Headshot
Why it matters: Profiles with photos receive up to 21x more profile views.
Action: Upload a high-resolution, recent photo in professional attire. Consider a neutral or clinical background to maintain a polished aesthetic.
2. Write a Compelling Headline
Why it matters: The default headline is just your job title—but you can convey much more.
Action: Use your headline to summarize your clinical focus and interests. Example: “Board-Certified Internist | Passionate about Health Equity & Preventive Medicine.”
3. Refresh Your “About” Section
Action: Write 3–5 sentences in the first person covering:
● Your specialty and clinical focus
● Leadership roles or certifications
● What drives your work in medicine
Bonus tip: Mention advocacy or community involvement to humanize your profile and build relatability.
4. Update Your Experience With Context
Action: For each position, include 2–3 bullet points on clinical responsibilities, teaching, research, or leadership roles.
Pro tip: Don’t forget to highlight committee work or involvement with organized medicine (e.g., ACMS Board of Directors).
5. Add “Featured” Media
Action: Upload or link to:
● Articles or blog posts you’ve written
● Videos of talks or panels (YouTube or Vimeo)
● Department bio or institutional profile
Visual tip: Add thumbnail images or video stills to increase engagement and scroll-stopping power.
6. Join and Engage With Medical Groups
Action: Follow groups like:
● American Medical Association
● Specialty-specific organizations
● Physician Moms Group
Bonus: Follow your hospital, residency program, and ACMS on LinkedIn.
7. List Volunteer Work or Board Positions
Action: Use the “Volunteer Experience” section to showcase your community involvement—such as nonprofit clinics, mentorship roles, or board work.
8. Add Licenses and Certifications
Action: Include your medical license, board certification(s), and any other relevant credentials (e.g., ACLS, DEI, wellness training).
9. Claim Your Custom URL
Action: Go to “Edit public profile & URL” and customize it to something simple and clean: linkedin.com/in/dryourname
10. Ask for One Recommendation
Action: Reach out to a colleague, mentee, or supervisor for a short testimonial. Recommendations boost your professional credibility and reinforce your expertise.
Dos and Don’ts for Physicians on LinkedIn
✅ DO:
● Engage thoughtfully with posts from colleagues, journals, and institutions
● Share insights from your field, including summaries of recent studies, new guidelines, or conference takeaways
● Highlight your clinical, research, or advocacy interests clearly and consistently
● Share human moments that reflect the values of the medical profession—mentorship, compassion, resilience
❌ DON’T:
● Leave your profile blank or outdated—recruiters, peers, and collaborators are watching
● Treat LinkedIn like Instagram: save personal family content for other platforms
● Wait until you “have time”—professional presence grows through steady engagement
● Ignore your inbox: a single DM can lead to a speaking request, research invitation, or media opportunity
📢 What to Post: A 4-1-1 Framework for Academic Physicians
You don’t need a social media manager to build visibility. Use the 4-1-1 framework:
● 4 shares from peers or publications (with a brief comment)
● 1 repost with your personal insight or a clinical pearl
● 1 original post—this could be a patient story (de-identified), a research update, or reflection on medical education
Ideas for high-value posts:
● “3 Things I Wish More People Knew About [Your Specialty]”
● Your take on a new clinical guideline or health policy
● A snapshot of resident teaching rounds
● Personal insights on burnout, mentorship, or career growth
● Links to recent grand rounds or conference talks
💬 Building Professional Engagement
Posting is important—but conversations build trust. Engagement strategies:
● Leave constructive comments on journal articles or thought leadership posts
● Ask questions that prompt academic discussion
● Congratulate peers on promotions or publications
● Message leaders you admire to build rapport and explore collaboration
Weekly goal: Spend just 5 minutes engaging with your network. This consistency builds your visibility in the medical community and opens the door to meaningful collaborations.
How ACMS Can Support Your Professional Growth
The Allegheny County Medical Society is here to support your professional journey, both on and offline. If you’re ready to elevate your visibility, connect with peers, or explore new opportunities, LinkedIn is a strategic starting point.
Let ACMS help you:
● Review and refine your profile
● Strategize your content and engagement approach
● Connect you with member physicians doing this well
Contact us at [email protected] to request support with your LinkedIn profile.
Let’s reimagine LinkedIn not as self-promotion, but as professional contribution. When physicians share knowledge, amplify evidence-based care, and connect across disciplines—we all move medicine forward.