Who are the Web MD people who answer our medical questions?

[werner72]

Well, who are these people who run that site and others like it, answering questions for so many of us who want to understand enough about what's happening to us that we can really annoy the doctors who we go and see, or not go to one at all?

I reckon that they who answer our questions must fall into at least one of the following categories, and I'm hoping maybe some people here may be able to confirm or deny:

1) Just anybody who reads a lot
2) Medical student
3) Qualified physician without a license
4) Qualified, licensed physician who does not treat patients
5) Qualified, licensed, and practicing physician (then shouldn't his patients keep him busy enough?)
6) Physician who landed there after his license was revoked for malpractice or abuse
7) Physician who retired with his license in good standing, "just a little out of touch these days"

Can anyone say for sure?

[khalid]

Hi Dave, I can confirm that WebMD does have physicians, nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, and other health care professionals on staff, but just like any entity, they have trained employees as well who do not necessarily have degrees in health care. I cannot speak as to other websites, but I have known people who worked for WebMD.

In terms of the categories of physicians you list, I seriously doubt physicians who have had their license revoked would be working at WebMD, although some physicians are certainly unscrupulous to get employment anywhere they can. And even practicing physicians don't necessarily maintain full patient loads these days.