Investigating dermatology content on TikTok and its potential impact on URiM medical students’ specialty choice

Abstract

Social media platforms like TikTok influence public and professional perceptions of medical specialties. Dermatology-related content on TikTok is thought to present a limited view of the specialty, potentially underrepresenting academic dermatologists, subspecialties, and dermatologists of color. This skewed portrayal may impact medical students’ specialty choices, particularly those from underrepresented minority (URiM) backgrounds. A cross-sectional content analysis of dermatology-related TikTok videos was conducted. Using a virtual private network, the top 186 most-liked videos under the search terms “Dermatology,” “Dermatologist,” “Derm,” and “DermTok” were identified and analyzed. Videos were categorized by dermatologist race/ethnicity, practice setting, gender, content type (medical vs. cosmetic dermatology), and subspecialty representation. Most videos (95.2%) featured private practice dermatologists, with academic dermatologists significantly underrepresented (4.8%). Content included cosmetic (38.7%) and medical dermatology (61.3%), but no videos (0%) featured subspecialties such as dermatologic surgery, pediatric dermatology, or dermatopathology. Additionally, 69.4% of videos featured a dermatologist not of skin of color (Fitzpatrick skin type I–III). The portrayal of dermatology on TikTok is dominated by private practice dermatologists, with minimal representation of subspecialties and skin of color dermatologists. This narrow depiction may reinforce existing disparities and deter URiM medical students from pursuing dermatology. Increasing diversity in clinician representation and subspecialty exposure on social media could foster a more inclusive and accurate depiction of the field, supporting efforts to enhance workforce diversity.