Jake Player, MD, MPH
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drjplayer.medsky.social
Jake Player, MD, MPH
@drjplayer.medsky.social
Resident physician, aspiring fantasy author, family man, paleontology enthusiast, video game connoisseur
"even small failures like single tests can feel like a future-effecting hardship... sometimes it is a struggle to remember that failures help you grow in the long run... thank you so much for the art and advice"

I think I've got a new favorite comment.

youtube.com/shorts/O_b50...
The Value of Doing Hard Things, The Art of Heart Disease, pt. 6
YouTube video by Dr. JPlayer
youtube.com
December 20, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Just sharing some thoughts on #heartdisease, why it's such a huge problem, the importance of #challenges and doing hard things in life, the value of #diet and #exercise, #cholesterol and #bloodpressure management, and sharing some more #opticalillusion #art

#medsky

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfkA...
The Art of Heart Disease Compilation: Challenges, Diet & Exercise, Cholesterol, & Blood Pressure
YouTube video by Dr. JPlayer
www.youtube.com
December 16, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Sharing some thoughts and insights from work as a #physician on #period pain, #HPV, #cancer #screening, and #OCPs while working on a piece of #opticalillusion #art inspired by the #uterus.

#medsky #residency #primarycare #preventivehealth

www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0Hy...
The Art of Female Pelvic Pain Compilation: Period Pain, Medications, HPV, and Cancer
YouTube video by Dr. JPlayer
www.youtube.com
December 15, 2025 at 7:54 PM
The final #result of my work on this project that attempts to visually convey the feeling/experience of #mentalillness using an #opticalillusion to create a feeling of unease, all while having shared several thoughts and feelings on the topic from my clinical experience
The Final Result, The Art of Mental Illness pt. 7
Watch and listen while I work on an original piece representing mental illness and talk about my experiences and thoughts as a physician on health communication, the brain, and mental illness. NAMI…
youtube.com
November 30, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Just some thoughts on #psych meds, #substanceuse, and a plea to reach out to your #primarycare #doctor if you think you could use some help. There's so much we can do that's scientifically proven to help instead of turning to unhealthy recreational alternatives
Psych Meds and Substance Use, The Art of Mental Illness pt. 6
Watch and listen while I work on an original piece representing mental illness and talk about my experiences and thoughts as a physician on health communication, the brain, and mental illness. NAMI…
youtube.com
November 29, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Sharing some thoughts on #psychiatrists and the important work they do, as well as some common misconceptions around them I've heard from patients.

#psychiatry #mentalhealth #mentalillness
Psychiatrists aren't "Cuckoo Doctors", The Art of Mental Illness pt. 5
Watch and listen while I work on an original piece representing mental illness and talk about my experiences and thoughts as a physician on health communication, the brain, and mental illness. NAMI…
youtube.com
November 28, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Sharing some thoughts on the surreal experience of what it's like to hold a human #brain, including the emotional and physical experience, as well as taking a brief moment to #honor those who donate their bodies to #science.
What it's Like to Hold a Brain, The Art of Mental Illness pt. 4
Watch and listen while I work on an original piece representing mental illness and talk about my experiences and thoughts as a physician on health communication, the brain, and mental illness. NAMI…
youtube.com
November 28, 2025 at 1:13 AM
Just discussing in a little more detail the specific methods used in this #art and some of the challenges associated with trying to #draw a complex structure like the #brain
The Method Behind the Madness, The Art of Mental Illness pt. 3
Watch and listen while I work on an original piece representing mental illness and talk about my experiences and thoughts as a physician on health communication, the brain, and mental illness. NAMI…
youtube.com
November 27, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Just sharing some thoughts on what inspired me to make this piece on #mentalhealth and how I thought using this #opticalillusion technique could help evoke the feeling of #sickness in an otherwise healthy appearing organ
The Inspiration Behind the Piece, The Art of Mental Illness pt. 2
Watch and listen while I work on an original piece representing mental illness and talk about my experiences and thoughts as a physician on health communication, the brain, and mental illness. NAMI…
youtube.com
November 25, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Just sharing my thoughts on #publichealth and #healthcommunication while doing some #mentalhealth inspired #art

youtube.com/shorts/ETXgT...
Public Health and Health Communication, The Art of Mental Illness pt. 1
YouTube video by Dr. JPlayer
youtube.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:54 AM
Reposted by Jake Player, MD, MPH
With the CDC sharing vaccine misinformation on their website, it's important to follow credible health resources.

@who.int, @ameracadpeds.bsky.social, @aafp.org, & @acog.org all share trusted information backed by medical literature, esp re: vaccines.

Alt-CDC is NOT a resource.
November 21, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Reposted by Jake Player, MD, MPH
Vaccination is essential to protect individuals and communities from preventable diseases, making it a fundamental element of public health. AMA statement on CDC changes to website on autism and vaccines: spr.ly/633207iCja
November 20, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Update: I've also added my #art and musings on #healthcare - related topics to a new TikTok account as well for anyone else interested on the platform:

www.tiktok.com/@dr.jplayer

Right now just covering the same content about #mentalhealth, #mentalillness, #substanceuse, and my art's #inspiration
dr.jplayer's Creator Profile
www.tiktok.com
November 16, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Hey everyone! Just thought I'd share something I made over on YouTube. Just a bit of #art I made along with some commentary/discussion on #publichealth, #healthcommunication, what it feels like to hold a #brain, and some thoughts on #mentalhealth and #mentalillness

youtu.be/6ZQw0QylcKk?...
Health Communication, Holding Brains, and Mental Health #drawing
YouTube video by Dr. JPlayer
youtu.be
November 15, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Just an FYI for non-medical professionals, this is referring to a lumbar puncture, which is usually to evaluate for infectious diseases affecting the brain. I absolutely support more doctors (ESPECIALLY in #primarycare) running for office, even more so in times like these.
So glad we have more physicians like @drannieandrews.com running for office right now.

And not gonna lie, it’s pretty cool to see a candidate for senate using a “Pediatrics” label from @medsky.social
June 10, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Reposted by Jake Player, MD, MPH
RFK Jr.‘s extreme anti-vax views — and his related conflicts of interest — were a huge problem during his confirmation process.

So he promised not to change the vaccine advisory panel.

Today, he fired every single expert on that panel. It's a public health disaster.
RFK Jr. ousts entire CDC vaccine advisory committee
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has removed every member of a scientific committee that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how to use vaccines.
apnews.com
June 9, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Just finished incorporating #betareader feedback for my book and now I'm on the hunt for a #literaryagent. Already submitted my first query letter!

#writing #fantasy #queryletter #aspiringauthor #booksky
June 6, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Pleased to share that our work examining the relationship between #ultrasound positivity for deep vein thrombosis and a variety of exam and non-exam factors has just been published in the Journal of the American College of #Radiology!

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

The main takeaways?

1/4
Correlation of Examination and Nonexamination Factors With Ultrasound Positivity for Deep Vein Thrombosis
First-line imaging for diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is ultrasound. Although the Wells criteria and laboratory testing help inform best orde…
www.sciencedirect.com
May 31, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Extremely proud to share that our study on the costs and savings associated with outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (i.e. discharging patients with IV antibiotics, #OPAT) has finally been published in @ofidjournal.bsky.social !

Find it here:
academic.oup.com/ofid/article...

1/4
May 30, 2025 at 6:44 PM
And to add: #familymedicine, the lifeblood of #preventivecare (especially in less urban areas), has a significantly higher percentage of international graduates filling residency positions, and therefore preventive care and health maintenance will be disproportionately impacted for the worse
There are 6,800+ international medical graduates expecting to start residency on July 1 who may be delayed or unable to start because of the US State Department’s pause on J1 visa interviews.

Residents are the life blood of hospitals and this change will have disastrous impacts on patient care.
May 29, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Reposted by Jake Player, MD, MPH
There are 6,800+ international medical graduates expecting to start residency on July 1 who may be delayed or unable to start because of the US State Department’s pause on J1 visa interviews.

Residents are the life blood of hospitals and this change will have disastrous impacts on patient care.
May 29, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Proud to announce that I have finally completed my studies in medicine and public health and have graduated from UT Southwestern Medical School and the @uthealthhouston.bsky.social school of Public Health! I'm now officially Dr. Player!

#medschool #residency #graduation #uthealth #utsw #medstudent
May 25, 2025 at 1:20 AM
Honored to have been selected for the 2025 U.S. Public Health Service Excellence in Public Health Award!

I'm grateful for the chance I've had to work with amazing mentors and the Dallas community!

www.utsouthwestern.edu/ctplus/stori...

#publichealth #usphs #utsw #medstudent #residency #medicine
May 18, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Fossil shark teeth found over the course of a couple hours around Post Oak Creek, in Sherman Texas. We had heavy rains the night before so it was flooded and we were pretty limited in our ability to look.
#fossils #paleontology #sharks #teeth
April 28, 2025 at 12:51 AM
I am secretly delighted that somebody at the #cdc had to do clearly somewhat extensive research into facial hair styles and nomenclature in order to tell me what I could or could not have for respirator fit-testing.
#residency #medstudent #medschool #facialhair
April 24, 2025 at 7:14 PM