A Black medical student turned content creator is working to inspire the next generation of diverse medical professionals through an animated children’s show. Joel Bervell, best known as the “Medical Mythbuster” on social media, has gained recognition for his efforts to challenge misinformation and promote diversity in medicine. Now, he’s taking that mission a step further with his new program, The Doctor Is In.
The show, which blends live-action and animation, aims to educate children about the medical field and inspire them to consider careers in healthcare. The Ghanaian-American influencer announced the project on social media in September, alongside a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for its production.
“I’m building an animated digital TV show to inspire the next generation of medical professionals, and I need your help,” Bervell said in a post. “For the past few years, I’ve been working on a project I wish I had growing up: The Doctor Is In! It’s a mixed live-action/animated series for kids aged 3-5, where Leland, a 5-year-old boy who loves going to the doctor’s office, and I explore medical topics with the help of Sammie the Stethoscope, Zada the X-ray, and Otto the Bag.”
The series centers around Little Leland, a curious five-year-old Black boy whose fascination with medicine leads him on a journey to explore different aspects of the healthcare field. Through interactions with animated medical tools such as Sammie the Stethoscope, Zada the X-ray, and Otto the Bag, Leland learns about topics ranging from infections to how different parts of the body function. The show is designed to be educational yet entertaining, using animation and mixed reality to engage young audiences.
With the underrepresentation of Black individuals in medicine being a persistent issue, Bervell hopes the show will serve as a tool to inspire more young people from diverse backgrounds to pursue medical careers. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges’ 2022 Physician Specialty Data Report, only 5.7% of doctors in the U.S. identify as Black. Although the number of Black medical students has increased in recent years, they still make up only 10% of the student population.
Bervell, who has used his platform to address issues of racial disparities in healthcare, sees The Doctor Is In as an extension of that work. By introducing children to the possibilities of a career in medicine at a young age, he hopes to plant the seeds of interest that could lead to greater diversity in the field in the future.
“There’s a systemic lack of representation in medicine, and it’s important to show kids, especially those from underrepresented communities, that they belong in this space,” Bervell explained. “The Doctor Is In is my way of doing that.”
In addition to his educational and advocacy work, Bervell has earned widespread recognition online for debunking myths and spreading awareness about health disparities. His content has ranged from highlighting differences in how certain symptoms are treated in Black versus white patients to calling out inequalities in medical research and treatment.
To fund the production of The Doctor Is In, Bervell has launched a Kickstarter campaign, which has already garnered significant support. As of mid-October, the campaign had raised over 20% of its $60,000 goal, with a deadline of October 31. The funds will go toward producing the first season of the show, which Bervell hopes will inspire children from all walks of life to explore science and medicine.
“We’ve gotten some incredible support so far, but there’s still a lot of work to do,” Bervell said. “This project means the world to me, and I believe it can make a real difference in how kids see themselves and what they think they can achieve.”
