joelbervell

Hi, I’m Joel Bervell. A Ghanaian-American doctor, host of The Dose podcast with The Commonwealth Fund, and a science communicator known online as the “Medical Mythbuster.” 🩺🫀 I use social media to break down racial disparities, uncover the hidden history of medicine, and call out biases in healthcare. With over 1.3 million followers and 300M+ video impressions, my goal is simple: make sure the stories of marginalized communities aren’t left out of the conversation. Last year, I was honored to receive the National Academies’ Eric and Wendy Schmidt Award for Excellence in Science Communications for my work making medicine more transparent and equitable. Here’s the brief video they made on my story. #scicomm #medicine #health #medschool #healthcommunication #joelbervell

Every year I post about how powerful the Annual Medical Education Conference is. And every year, like clockwork, the hate rolls in. Because some people are still threatened by the imagery of Black doctors. That’s exactly why spaces like AMEC matters. It’s a celebration of diversity in medicine, in spite of the pushback. These moments are reminders: we’re not done. We can’t be. Because the future of healthcare depends on what we build today.

It’s hard to put into words what this moment means. I started medical school in the middle of a pandemic, when the world was unraveling and healthcare inequities were more visible than ever. I didn’t just want to become a doctor—I wanted to use every part of who I am to change the system from the inside out. Since then, it’s been a whirlwind as I’m sure these moments from the past 5 years show. 
While studying for anatomy exams and rounding in hospitals, I somehow created this incredible community that’s dedicated to unraveling and better understanding the inequities that exist in our systems. Along the way I went viral on TikTok and Instagram for breaking down racism in medicine, interviewed the Surgeon general and worked alongside the White House, became a TED Fellow and a Forbes 30 Under 30, spoke on stages around the world from the White House to the United Nations, met the president and vice president and was a guest on the Kelly Clarkson Show, took over as the host of a podcast and am now launching a digital kids TV show to inspire the next generation, all while still being a full-time medical student. And that’s just the highlights. There were sleepless nights. Self-doubt. Burnout. Moments I thought I wouldn’t make it through. But every step of this journey reminded me why I started: to be a different kind of doctor. One who listens. One who fights for justice. One who sees people fully. Today is the result of grit, grace, and community. Of standing on the shoulders of those who came before me. Of not giving up, even when it would’ve been easier to. To every student dreaming of making a difference— remember you belong here too. Let’s keep going. You. Are. Needed.

We’re out here running it back at the Annual Medical Education Conference!! The future of medicine is full of color #premed #medicalschool #medicalstudent #blackinmedicine #amec #snma #futuredoctor

I was tagged a lot in this video by @Shannon Clark, MD, FACOG and had to talk about it. In it, Dr. Clark shares a story from med school where a faculty member created a 4th-degree tear in a Black woman during childbirth. Just so a resident could practice stitching it. No consent. No medical reason. It’s horrifying, but not surprising. For years, med students have done pelvic and rectal exams on unconscious patients without consent. Being able to name it as a problem is key. And it’s exactly why we need more Black and Brown voices in medicine, because this culture has to change. Thank you Dr. Clark for sharing this story. #BlackInMedicine #MedTok #OBGYN #InformedConsent #hiddenmedicalhistory #blackdoctors #medicalstudent

WE WON THE PEABODY AWARD!!!!!!!! 
I’m still in shock. My series, “What Does Racial Bias in Medicine Look Like?” was unanimously selected by the Peabody board of judges to receive one of the most prestigious honors in storytelling. When I think back to where my love of storytelling and unraveling narratives began, I hear my dad’s voice. As a kid, he used to recite from memory West African tales of Anansi the Spider, a trickster spider who used wisdom and wit to reveal deeper truths. Those were the first stories that taught me the power of narrative, and the ability it has to challenge, teach and to transform hearts and minds. Years later, when I picked up my phone and began using storytelling on social media to expose the hidden inequities in medicine that I wasn’t being taught in medical school, it was those themes I wove in. But I never could have imagined it would lead here. My series of short form videos was born out of grief, urgency, and hope. Hope that if I could speak the truth clearly, accessibly, and unapologetically, that we could change the way people think about health, race, and justice. To everyone who’s watched, shared, challenged, and learned alongside me: thank you. To the teachers who have told me you use my videos in your classrooms, the patients who have bravely shared your most personal stories, and the researchers continuing this fight despite attacks on the scientific community, this award is for you. At a time where so much seems uncertain, one things remains clear: That the most powerful form of medicine that we have is the truth. Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is just the beginning. If this is your first time learning about my work, drop a follow! I’m rebooting the entire series starting TODAY! #PeabodyAwards #RacialBiasInMedicine #HealthEquity #MedicalMythbuster #JoelBervell#greenscreen

30th birthday + Peabody win = outfit had to be elite 💅🏾 #BirthdayFit #PeabodyAward #30AndThriving #joelbervell #birthday

Just spoke in Texas about racism in medicine and received a standing ovation. At a time when even saying "DEI" feels taboo, people are still hungry for truth, justice, and change. This conversation isn’t over. It’s only just beginning.

Plot twist: I wasn’t just making TikToks this whole time 🤣

In Transplant Season 1, Episode 2, a young woman named Cassie comes to the hospital with severe pelvic pain. Doctors initially chalk it up to her already-diagnosed endometriosis and send her home. But her pain gets worse, and when she returns, it’s clear something else is going on. Only after pushing for surgery do they discover the real issue: a ruptured cyst that was overlooked. This isn’t just a TV storyline. It reflects what happens far too often in real life. A diagnosis like endometriosis can become the end of the conversation, even when the pain continues. Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside of it. It can cause chronic pain, heavy periods, and even infertility. It’s already one of the most commonly misdiagnosed conditions, especially in Black women, and it can also mask other serious health problems if doctors stop looking further.

Five years ago I put on my white coat for the first time. Yesterday, I walked across the stage as a Peabody & Webby award winning doctor. It’s been quite the week. From student, to storyteller, to MD. Can’t wait to continue serving patients the best way I know how 🥹 #MedSchoolGrad #BlackDoctors #RepresentationMatters #graduation #graduation2025

Yesterday, Cory Booker shattered the record for longest Senate speech in history. Oratory has always been a powerful way of shaping history and defining what a moment means—not just for lawmakers, but for the people. From the pulpit to the podium, voices have always been our tools of resistance, resilience, and reckoning. Booker didn’t just speak for hours—he claimed space. In a time when so much gets buried under headlines and half-truths, he reminded us that words still matter. That speaking truth, even when it’s uncomfortable, can still move mountains. This wasn’t just about breaking a record. It was about reminding the nation that our democracy is shaped not just by votes, but by voices. And when used with purpose, those voices can stir hearts, shift narratives, and spark change. Because history doesn’t just happen—it’s spoken into existence.

Race wasn’t discovered. It was invented, using “science” to justify everything from slavery to white supremacy. And those lies? They’re still embedded in medicine today. Welcome back to Episode 9 of Hidden Medical History. Let’s talk skulls, lung tests, and the racist roots of medical “truths.” #HiddenMedicalHistory #MedicalMythbuster #HealthEquity #RaceAndMedicine #HistoryMatters

Today, I walk across the graduation stage, not just as a student, but as a doctor. While I graduated in December, this moment hits differently. Surrounded by my family, it finally feels real. I couldn’t be more grateful to share it with the people who got me here and all of you! Also… apologies in advance for the flood of graduation posts coming your way 🤣

On June 14, 1973, the Relf sisters were forcibly sterilized without their consent. Their story sparked national outrage and led to changes in medical consent laws. But decades later, headlines still report forced sterilizations. In prisons, ICE detention centers, and more. Know their story. #HiddenMedicalHistory #RelfSisters #ReproductiveJustice #joelbervell

Skin changes can be hard to recognize if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Welcome back to episode 7 of Derm on Darker Skin. Let’s look at what erysipelas, cocksackie virus, tinea versicolor and molluscum contagiosum look like on darker vs. lighter skin tones. Representation matters in medicine! #skincare #joelbervell #dermondarkerskin #series #dermatology

Racial Bias in Medicine Episode 2: Pulmonary Function Tests In medicine, there is a device called the spirometer that incorrectly assumed all Black and Asian people innately had lower lung capacity compared to White people. In May 2023, the American Thoracic Society recommended a race-neutral approach to interpreting spirometry. In 2024, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that more Black patients would have qualified for different disease classifications, occupational eligibility, disability payments, and more if race-neutral equations had been used. And in 2025, a study in JAMA Network Open revealed that these race-neutral equations improved asthma diagnosis in Black children—identifying up to four times more cases than the outdated race-based formulas. Race-based medicine isn’t just outdated, it’s dangerous. It masks disease, delays treatment, and denies care. It’s time to stop confusing race with biology and start treating patients as individuals not assumptions. #joelbervell #medicalmythbuster #racialbiasinmedicine #spirometry #medicine

It’s that time of year again!!! As we close out National Minority Health Month, it’s time to revisit my favorite series, “Racial Bias in Medicine,” and to add updates about the changes that have, and have not been made over the past few years. At a time where conversations about health equity are being challenged, erased, or outright ignored, it’s more important than ever to shine a light on the systems that continue to impact marginalized communities. If you want to stay tuned, be sure to like, follow and share. Let me know below what you want me to talk about with this series reboot, or what you remember learning from before! #joelbervell #medicalmythbuster #series #healthequity

For this Earth Day, let’s talk about Cancer Alley. 
Along the Mississippi River in Louisiana, one of the most polluted places in America has been nick-named “Cancer Alley.” It’s home to hundreds of oil refineries and petrochemical plants, which tower over the vulnerable communities of mostly Black residents who live there. It’s one of the worst cases of environmental racism and injustice. Studies show that there are elevated cancer diagnoses in areas around the plants and EPA data shows that cancer risk is 50 times the national average. Thankfully, as of April 2024 new rules issued by the Environmental Protection Agency will deliver critical health protections for communities burdened by industrial pollution. #earthday #protectourearth #canceralley

Racial Bias in Medicine Episode 1: Pulse Oximeters I’m bringing back my **Peabody Award Winning (!!)** “Racial Bias in Medicine” series and adding updates about the changes that have, and have not been made over the past few years. First up, let’s talk about pulse oximeters. Pulse oximeters are devices used ubiquitously in hospitals that measure how much oxygen is in your blood. For decades, however, it’s been known that these devices can be faulty, and overestimate oxygen levels in patients with darker skin. Unfortunately, a new, updated pulse oximeter that is more accurate in darker skin tones has not yet been created. And while a new device has not yet been created, the FDA has released draft guidelines for manufacturers. But part of the worries of medical professionals like myself, is that attacks on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will mean that a finalized advisory will not be released or enforced. Be sure to follow, like and share, and stay tuned for Part 2, where we’ll dive into the origins of pulse oximeters, how the device leads to disparities, and the scientists attempting to create an inclusive pulse oximeter.  #joelbervell #racialbiasinmedicine #pulseoximeters #medicalmythbuster