Social media star Doctor Mike to deliver keynote presentation Sunday morning

Chest compressions. Chest compressions. Chest compressions.

Repeated rhythmically, these two familiar words create a powerful cadence—a life-saving directive easily recalled when every second is critical. When the stakes are high, the right information has to cut through the noise.

“Chest compressions” is also the signature catchphrase of Mikhail Varshavski, DO—better known as Doctor Mike on social media—and perfectly captures his medical philosophy. As a board-certified family medicine physician and educator, his approach to patient care is rooted in making reliable health information easily accessible.

“In my day-to-day job as a family doctor, I see what confuses patients, what they need more education on. And then, as a creator, I can address those questions at scale and give people tools to evaluate health claims for themselves,” said Doctor Mike, the most-followed doctor on social media. “Think of it like vaccinating the audience with knowledge to prevent them from falling ill from misinformation.”

When he’s not practicing medicine, Doctor Mike creates online videos debunking medical misinformation to an audience of more than 30 million across platforms like YouTube and Instagram. His podcast, The Checkup with Doctor Mike, has welcomed major figures like former Vice President Kamala Harris and Emmy-winning actor Noah Wyle. It all began as a way to share his journey through medical school and residency.

Doctor Mike will join CHEST President Neil Freedman, MD, FCCP, in a fireside chat-like keynote presentation during the CHEST 2026 Opening Session that begins at 8:00 am on Sunday, October 18, in Ballroom 301BC of the West Building. The duo will discuss technology challenges of modern medical practice and the importance of leadership.

Dr. Freedman hopes his conversation with Doctor Mike will offer something increasingly valuable—a reminder of what can be accomplished together.

“The message that I wanted to bring across from the keynote is really around teamwork and the importance of physician and team leadership,” Dr. Freedman said. “Doctor Mike is a young guy who’s energizing. He communicates well and he seems to be able to bring people together—even people with vastly different viewpoints.”

Doctor Mike will use those skills to empower CHEST attendees. “I hope that they will learn that they are not powerless,” Doctor Mike said. “That as clinicians and educators, they hold a unique skill that will be needed for decades to come.”