Talk to the camera the way you talk to a patient in the room. Use bullet points instead of a word-for-word script, film several videos in one sitting so you warm up, and post your first ten even if you don't love them. Almost every doctor gets noticeably more natural somewhere around video ten to fifteen.
01Why it feels strange at first
You explain things to patients all day and you're good at it. Put a phone in front of you and it suddenly feels like a performance. That's normal. You're used to reading a person's face, and the camera gives you nothing back.
02Picture one patient
Before you hit record, think of a real patient who asked you this question. Explain it to them. Your tone softens, your pace slows down and you stop sounding like you're giving a lecture.
03Use bullet points instead of a full script
Reading a script word for word makes most people sound flat. Write three or four bullet points: the question, the answer and what to do next. Glance at them, then talk. If you lose your place, stop and restart the sentence. You can cut the mistake out.
04A simple setup that looks professional
Face a window for soft light. Put the phone at eye level, not looking up from your desk. Use a small clip-on microphone, because people forgive average video far more than bad sound. Film in vertical format with the camera slightly above your eyes.
05Get through your first ten
Film in batches of four or five so you're warmed up by the second video. Then post them. You'll improve faster from ten posted videos than from one you reshot twenty times.
Don't read the comments as a performance review in the first month. Look at whether people watched to the end. That tells you far more about whether the video worked.
?Frequently asked questions
Do I need to memorise what I'll say?
No. Know your main point and the order of what you'll say. Natural beats perfect.
What should I wear?
What you wear at work. Scrubs or a white coat tell people instantly that you're a doctor.
Can someone else script for me?
Yes. A good script written in your voice makes filming much faster, as long as you change anything that doesn't sound like you.