I’m Kayla, a family doctor who still keeps snacks in the white coat and lives in the clinic EHR. I spent six months using a physician social network. I used Doximity most days. I also checked Sermo and Figure 1 when I had a spare minute between charts. I wanted connection, fast answers, and less phone tag. Did it help? Yes. But not in the way I first thought. If you want my unfiltered, blow-by-blow recap of the entire six-month experiment, you can read it in this detailed review.
Why I Joined, Really
I didn’t join to make friends. I joined because:
- I needed a fast, safe way to call patients without showing my cell number.
- I wanted real talk on cases, not sales fluff.
- I was lonely on a Tuesday night after clinic when the charting pile looked like Mount Doom. You know that feeling.
The Stuff I Actually Used
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Doximity Dialer: During a snow day, my clinic closed but my panel didn’t. I called a high-risk patient from home, masked my number, and set the caller ID to our clinic. She answered. Med list done in six minutes. No more “Who is this?” loop. (If you're still sorting out the setup details, the concise Dialer FAQ walks you through the nuts and bolts.)
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eFax from the app: Prior auth for a CGM, sent straight to the plan. I attached my note and the last A1C. It went through. I didn’t have to beg the front desk to scan one more thing at 4:59 p.m.
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Salary map: I was curious. I checked pay ranges for family med in my state. It helped me push for a small bump when my contract came up. Not magic, but helpful.
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Sermo polls: A thread on Paxlovid and statins saved me ten minutes. Simple chart, plus stories from hospitalists. I cross-checked in Lexicomp, but the real-life comments mattered.
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Figure 1 case images: I saw a picture of livedo reticularis. Then, two weeks later, a patient came in with that same lacy rash. It clicked fast. I didn’t play hero; I sent her to rheum sooner.
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CME bits: I skimmed a short update on GLP-1 side effects during lunch. Grabbed an easy credit. Not all CME there is great, but some is clean and to the point.
While medical image-sharing tools like Figure 1 stay strictly clinical, there’s a whole other corner of the internet where people swap far more personal photos just for pleasure. If you’re curious about how an explicit community sets its own rules around anonymity, tagging, and consent, the unfiltered French blog “Je montre mon minou” at plansexe.com/je-montre-mon-minou provides a vivid, NSFW case study in user-driven erotic photo sharing that’s surprisingly instructive from a digital-culture and privacy standpoint.
What Surprised Me
The peer messages helped more than the shiny features. I joined a rural doc group and a women-in-medicine chat. One night, a new attending posted, “My first code was today. I can’t sleep.” The replies were kind and plain. No one tried to one-up her. I just sat there, phone lit, and felt my shoulders drop. Similarly, I’ve seen faith-based communities pull off the same supportive vibe—this 30-day test of a Christian social media network shows how that plays out beyond medicine.
If you want an even quicker way to show appreciation when someone’s wisdom saves your shift, drop them a virtual thumbs-up via this simple like button.
The Good Stuff
- Real identity on Doximity meant fewer trolls. Tone was decent.
- Dialer worked without fuss. My patients answered more.
- Job posts felt targeted. I got a solid locums lead in a region I like.
- Fast reads. No time-wasting threads with ten layers of fluff.
- Referral network: I found a derm who took a teen with bad cystic acne within two weeks. Small win, big smile.
The Hard Parts
- Noise: Sermo can get loud. Hot takes can drown out the quiet, smart ones.
- Pharma shadows: Not all posts are sales-y, but some feel shaped by reps. I keep my guard up.
- Alerts: The apps ping a lot by default. I turned off half the notifications or I’d never finish a note.
- Search: I tried to find “non-healing foot ulcer tips.” Results were mixed. I had to scroll more than I wanted.
- Verification: A colleague waited three days to get his account approved after a name change. Awkward gap.
Real Moments That Sold Me
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Snow week, as I said. I used Dialer to keep care moving. No call-back maze. Patient trust stayed intact.
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RSV surge. A pedi friend posted a short checklist for phone triage. I copied the questions into a note template. It made those calls safer and faster.
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A rare med shortage. Another physician dropped a simple sub list with dosing notes. I checked it against our clinic guide and used it the next day. Calm beat panic.
Who I Think Will Like It
- New attendings who need a quiet place to ask “simple” questions.
- Rural docs who get stuck on referrals and want quick workarounds.
- Busy primary care folks who need call tools that just work.
- Subspecialists who enjoy focused case pearls without long lectures.
Niche social networks aren’t just a doctor thing; my cycling buddies lean on their own tight-knit platforms, and if you want to see how that scene compares, check out this rundown of biker social networking sites I actually use and why I keep going back.
Who Might Not
- Folks who hate push alerts or don’t want another feed.
- People who prefer old-school phone lists and staff messages only.
- Anyone who expects deep, formal teaching every time. This is quick-hit learning.
Odds and Ends I Noticed
- The app loads fast on my older iPhone. Battery drain is modest.
- Recruiter messages can pile up. I set filters and that helped.
- Weekend threads are nicer. Less heat, more help. Maybe we’re all tired by Friday.
My Wishlist
- Better search that shows top answers from verified experts first.
- Quieter ads and clearer lines between posts and promos.
- A one-tap “send note to patient portal” after a call. I’d use that hourly.
Final Verdict
I went in for tools. I stayed for people. I won’t say it fixed burnout. It didn’t. But it made a cold slice of pizza at 10 p.m. feel less sad. The calls are easier. The pearls stick. The tone is human.
Would I pay for it? For the calling and faxing alone—yes. The rest feels like a steady bonus. If you’re a physician who wants clean tools and a sane, mostly kind space, this is worth your home screen. Just trim your alerts, trust but verify, and bring your own common sense.