Many people are drawn to the idea of a man in uniform, but typically this doesn’t bring to mind medical attire like scrubs or a white coat.
In 2015, this perception shifted when People magazine named Mikhail Varshavski, better known as Doctor Mike, as ‘the sexiest doctor alive.’
Doctor Mike quickly rose to worldwide fame, utilizing social media platforms to promote health awareness and educate the public about various health issues.
At the time of receiving the title, he expressed his gratitude on Instagram: “Wow ‘Sexiest Doctor Alive’ is a pretty hefty title! Thanks to peoplemag! Extremely humbled by such a title and excited for the opportunity to spread my message.”
Fans couldn’t help but comment on his good looks, with one quipping, “I would make myself ill to see him,” as others expressed their admiration.
Here’s a glimpse of him from 2016:
Dr. Mike seems to have won the genetics lottery.
Today, he boasts nearly five million followers on Instagram and an impressive 14 million subscribers on YouTube, where he uses his platform to educate viewers about health-related topics.
He shared with Forbes: “My job is to provide the most up-to-date information that I feel confident about to my audience, in a way that resonates with them. I trust that my audience will be able to make the best decisions for themselves.”
Originating from Russia, Dr. Mike relocated to the United States when he was just six years old, inspired by his father, who was also a physician, to pursue a career in the medical field.
“I fell in love with the field, and I realized this is the only thing I want to do for the rest of my life,” he told Fox News.
His father pursued medical education anew in a foreign country, tackling the challenge of a new language, truly making him an inspiration.
Dr. Mike’s rise to fame started in August 2015, when BuzzFeed published an article titled ‘Um, You Really Need To See This Hot Doctor And His Dog’, featuring a series of images of him and his beloved dog.
Following that, People awarded him the title in November of the same year, leading to his continued success.
Initially unsure of the newfound attention, he thought, “This isn’t the attention I’m trying to get. I would like to educate people. I want to celebrate healthcare. I wanna put good information out there.”
Dr. Mike noted the success of his YouTube channel by stating: “At a time where patients’ first instinct is to look at their phones, I wanted to be there for them.”
He describes the joy he feels when a child, anxious about a doctor’s visit, recognizes him from YouTube: “I can’t tell you how much joy it brings me to have a child who’s nervous to go the doctor face light up because it’s the doctor that they saw on YouTube.”
His video content covers a range of topics, from nutrition and sleep improvement to debunking dubious claims from late-night infomercials.
Dr. Mike’s status as a hero was solidified in 2019 when he assisted a passenger experiencing a medical emergency on a flight.
While flying from New York’s JFK to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport, a passenger suffered from a severe anaphylactic shock.
He recounted the incident to the New York Post: “We were facing a real dilemma, over the ocean with a patient in a life-threatening situation.”
Although the flight was not equipped with an EpiPen, the Delta crew had an advanced life support kit that included epinephrine.
Dr. Mike had to modify the dosage and administer it without a typical pen, ultimately injecting it into the patient’s leg muscle—a painful but necessary procedure to avoid a more critical situation.
The patient expressed gratitude: “Dr. Mike was able to use what was on board to help me, and he stayed with me and monitored my vitals for the rest of the flight. All I can say is how thankful I am. He really saved me.”