Joel Bervell

Joel Bervell (/dʒoʊˈɛlbɛrˈvɛl/; born June 1, 1995) is a Ghanaian-American medical educator, social media content creator, and advocate for health equity. He is known for his work debunking racial biases in medicine and educating audiences about health misinformation, primarily through platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.^[1][2]

Bervell was born in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, to Ghanaian immigrant parents and raised in Mukilteo, Washington.^[3] He attended Yale University, earning a bachelor's degree in Molecular Cellular Developmental Biology.^[4] He later completed a Master's in Medical Science at Boston University, and enrolled at the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine at Washington State University, where he graduated with a Doctor of Medicine degree.^[5]

Bervell gained prominence during medical school by using social media to highlight racial disparities and biases within the healthcare system. His TikTok videos focus on topics related to racial disparities and health misinformation, particularly those affecting minority populations.^[6]

In 2021, Bervell was named one of TikTok's "Changemakers" and received the MACRO x TikTok Black Creatives Grant, which awarded $50,000 to ten Black creators to support their content development.^[7] Bervell's work has been featured by major media outlets such as The New York Times and Vox, where he shared strategies on how patients can advocate for themselves in medical settings.^[8][9] In 2024, Bervell was named a TED Fellow in recognition of his work promoting equitable healthcare education.^[10]

In collaboration with YouTube Health, Bervell co-created and hosts The Doctor Is In, an animated series designed to introduce children to medical careers and encourage diverse representation in healthcare.^[11] The show focuses on encouraging diverse representation in healthcare professions.^[12]

Bervell frequently addresses the impact of racial biases in medicine at conferences, schools, and online platforms. He was recognized by the American Medical Association for his educational work on debunking health misinformation.^[13] He has also discussed challenges faced by content creators regarding misinformation amplification on social media platforms.^[14]

Bervell has received several honors for his work, including:

• Named to Forbes' 2025 30 Under 30 list in the Social Media category.^[15]
• Named a TED Fellow in 2024.^[10]
• Recognized in the Rock Health Top 50 in Digital Health in 2022.^[16]
• Included in the National Minority Quality Forum's "40 Under 40 Leaders in Minority Health" in 2022.^[17]
• Recognized by the Smithsonian Channel as a "Cyclebreaker" in 2022.^[18]
• Featured as a "Changemaker" on TikTok's Discover List in 2021.^[7]
• Recipient of the MACRO x TikTok Black Creatives Grant in 2021.^[7]

In high school, Bervell co-founded the nonprofit organization Hugs for Ghana, which raises funds for medical and educational supplies for children in Ghana and other African countries.^[19] He has spoken publicly about using his background to inspire future physicians from underrepresented communities.