Dr. Fran: From Obstetrician-Gynecologist to TikTok Star
Dr. Franziska Haydanek, known as “Paging Dr. Fran” on social media, initially joined TikTok in 2021 to address the rampant misinformation about women’s health she encountered online. What began as a personal mission to educate and debunk myths quickly transformed into a thriving platform with over 650,000 followers on TikTok alone. Dr. Fran’s engaging videos on topics ranging from birth control and pregnancy to breastfeeding and women’s health advocacy have resonated with a vast audience, earning her triple her physician’s salary. This unexpected journey highlights the power of social media to disseminate accurate medical information and the growing trend of physicians using these platforms to connect with patients beyond the confines of a traditional clinic.
The catalyst for Dr. Fran’s substantial following came in early 2022 with the leaked Dobbs decision, foreshadowing the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Recognizing the urgent need for access to reproductive healthcare, she collaborated with fellow ob-gyn physicians to create a public list of doctors willing to perform tubal ligation, a permanent sterilization procedure. This “TikTok tubal list,” initially comprising 150 doctors, quickly gained traction and propelled Dr. Fran’s follower count by nearly 100,000 in a single month. This event solidified her commitment to using social media as a tool for patient advocacy and a platform for combating misinformation surrounding women’s health, a field particularly vulnerable to political and ideological biases.
Dr. Fran emphasizes the importance of critical thinking when consuming medical information online. While acknowledging the internet’s potential as a valuable resource, she cautions against blindly accepting everything at face value. She encourages viewers to engage with her content as a starting point for learning, but stresses the necessity of consulting with a personal healthcare provider to discuss individual needs and circumstances. Social media should be a supplement to, not a replacement for, traditional medical consultations, and Dr. Fran’s message promotes a balanced approach leveraging both the accessibility of online resources and the expertise of healthcare professionals. She also actively encourages fellow physicians to join the social media sphere, ensuring that evidence-based medical information reaches a wider audience and competes with potentially misleading narratives.
The success of Dr. Fran’s platform is attributed to her ability to distill complex medical information into readily digestible formats. Her approachable style and relatable experiences as a working mother and physician have resonated deeply with her viewers. This resonation has translated into financial success, with her income tripling in 2024 due to a combination of ad revenue and brand partnerships. She emphasizes the importance of maintaining integrity in her collaborations, rejecting offers that conflict with her medical and personal values. This selectivity allows her to work only with brands she trusts, further strengthening her credibility and the authenticity of her message. This financial gain has offered much-needed financial security for Dr. Fran and her family, but she underscores that this income is supplemental and will not replace her clinical practice.
The financial benefits derived from her social media presence have helped Dr. Fran and her husband, also a physician, address the significant student loan debt common among medical professionals. This financial breathing room has also enabled them to build a stronger financial foundation and establish crucial savings. However, Dr. Fran acknowledges the unpredictable landscape of social media fame and emphasizes that her clinical work remains her primary focus. The additional income generated through her online presence allows for greater financial stability but she emphasizes that this success is not guaranteed to last. This perspective allows her to maintain a healthy perspective on her online career and prioritize her passion for patient care over the allure of social media fame.
Despite her online success, Dr. Fran remains committed to practicing medicine. She sees her online work as a complement to, not a replacement for, her role as a physician. While she plans to adjust her clinical hours to accommodate her growing family and online commitments, Dr. Fran’s dedication to patient care remains unwavering. She sees her online platform as an extension of her clinical practice, enabling her to reach a broader audience and contribute to a more informed healthcare landscape. Moving forward, Dr. Fran is dedicated to maintaining her online presence as a source of credible information while continuing her work as a practicing ob-gyn, striving to balance her passion for medicine with the opportunities afforded by her online platform. Her story exemplifies the evolving role of physicians in the digital age and the power of social media to amplify evidence-based healthcare information.