Experts' boundary work on social media: Doctors on Instagram

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Communication Studies
• Medical Sociology

Background:

• Science-based experts increasingly use social media for audience engagement and recognition.
• Navigating professional principles alongside evolving media expectations presents a challenge for experts.
• Boundary work is a key concept for understanding how experts manage their presence in new digital spaces.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze how medical doctors enact and expand their expertise on Instagram.
• To investigate the role of boundary work in doctors' social media communication strategies.
• To understand doctors' interactions with publics, their self-presentation, and market considerations on Instagram.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative content analysis of 2125 Instagram posts.
• Study focused on the 20 most-followed medical doctors in Finland.
• Examination of boundary work in relation to publics, self, and markets.

Main Results:

• Doctors maintained epistemic authority and professional roles, avoiding direct advertising.
• Expertise was expanded through audience relationship building and use of personal anecdotes.
• New communication products were created for audience engagement.

Conclusions:

• Medical doctors strategically use Instagram to both uphold and extend their professional expertise.
• Boundary work enables doctors to balance authenticity with professional identity online.
• Social media platforms offer avenues for doctors to connect with the public beyond traditional clinical interactions.