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Whether you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert — or a bit of both — your personality likely influenced your choice of medical specialty. It also affects how you practice medicine and interact with your colleagues and patients. At its heart, practicing medicine is about connection — with not only your patients but also your healthcare colleagues as well. Extroverted doctors have an easier time expressing their emotions, which can enhance their bedside manner. Introverted docs may give off an impression of being disconnected or standoffish when in fact they’re simply less outgoing.
So, do extroverted physicians have an advantage when it comes to connecting with patients — and can introverted docs learn to be more extroverted at work?
About Medscape Data
Medscape continually surveys physicians and other medical professionals about key practice challenges and current issues, creating high-impact analyses. For example, the Medscape Physician Happiness Index 2025 found that:
- 35% of doctors surveyed say their medical career improves the quality of their personal lives.
- 41% of physicians surveyed were very satisfied or satisfied with their friendships.
- 44% of doctors surveyed thought their family relationships were positive.
Medicine May Attract Introverts
While definitions of introversion vary, introverts are considered more self-reflective and less outgoing than extroverts, who are more social, active, and talkative . According to a Medscape report, nearly 4 in 10 (38%) of doctors identify as an “even mix of introvert and extrovert,” while more than 35% tend toward introversion and 28% identify as extroverts.
In fact, medicine may attract introverts, says Brandon Hirsch, MD, board-certified, dual fellowship-trained orthopedic spine surgeon at DISC Sports and Spine Center in Newport Beach, California. “I think the early years of training in medicine and getting into medicine probably favor people who are introverts because there is a lot to learn, and a lot of the academic work is not people-based or team-based,” said Hirsch.
“Generally, for med school you’re in classes for the first 2 years, and you’re hitting the books, which is usually a solo sport. You have to have the ability to think independently and have time to reflect on what it is you’re learning and what works for you and what doesn’t.”
That focus shifts, however. “Being a doctor is very much a team sport and involves a lot of interpersonal skills,” Hirsch added. “It’s a big adjustment for a lot of people. I think it tends to draw introverts in, and then you get in and start doing clinical rotations and move on to residency and fellowship training — those are very team-based, as is medicine.”
While specialties such as pathology or radiology may require less interpersonal interaction, most positions require an ability to connect with people — and introverts may find this more of a challenge than their extroverted peers.
“Your success in medicine has a lot to do with how much people like being around you and less with how smart you are and how much you know about medicine and surgical techniques,” Hirsch said. Physicians must be able to interact with colleagues, nurses, and other healthcare practitioners, as well as with patients.
“The reality is that patients prefer doctors who are charismatic and who make them feel comfortable. I think these are all really important skills that benefit people in medicine but that aren’t taught in medical school.”
The Power of Connection
Even if these skills aren’t taught in med school, the ability to connect with patients is an essential aspect of bedside manner, said Brian T. Garibaldi, MD, MEHP, director of the Center for Bedside Medicine and professor of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.
Being introverted may not have been a detriment early in med school, but later in training and practice, you must be able to create rapport with patients and colleagues. Using physical touch when appropriate, paying attention to others’ body language, and being aware of your own body language (do you seem approachable or closed off?) can also help create a connection. For example, sitting down during an exam or getting on eye level with a patient can help him or her feel “heard.”
“There are simple things that can help,” said Garibaldi. “You want to convey, ‘I see you…and I care about you.’”
Asking thoughtful questions and listening to the person’s answers can help forge the connection. “If you ask others about themselves and their days and their lives, it can lead them to opening up to you without having to do a great deal of talking,” Hirsch said.
Hirsch acknowledges he has never been comfortable in large groups and struggled with social anxiety as a teen. As a doctor, he has improved his “people skills” by listening to podcasts about techniques like mirroring and expressing empathy. “I think part of the challenge for introverts is that they may feel empathy, but it’s not so natural to express it and get it across to the person,” he said. “Even if I am empathetic and sensitive, I don’t give that impression.”
Introversion vs Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)
Introverts tend toward self-reflection over self-disclosure and can come off as aloof or shy. “I see an introvert as someone that is often painfully shy or uncertain, often stemming from a fear of failure,” said Victor Ajluni, MD, self-admitted introvert and assistant professor of psychiatry at Wayne State University and emergency psychiatrist at DMC Detroit Receiving Hospital, both in Detroit. “It is a lot like social anxiety to me.”
But while SAD and introversion share some similar threads, they are not the same. “[SAD] is characterized by persistent fear or worry about social situations with the core fear that ‘I’m going to be criticized, judged, or rejected by people,’ often in performance situations…generally across multiple areas,” said Jaclyn Weisman, PhD, psychologist and assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
Nearly everyone experiences some degree of concern about what people may think of us, especially in high-pressure or stressful situations (like public speaking or performing your first solo surgery). However, physicians with SAD are significantly impaired by their symptoms. Approximately 8%-12% of adults will experience SAD during their lifetime; exposure therapy, where you practice doing what makes you anxious, can help. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is another option if symptoms interfere with your ability to practice.
Every Doctor (Even Introverts) Can Connect
While extroverts may find it easier to express their emotions and emotionally engage with patients and colleagues, introverted doctors can learn to do so as well. “Think of it as, ‘My doc persona is a little more gregarious than I usually am,’” said Weisman. “You also want to be calculated and thoughtful about how you schedule breaks…it’s all about being strategic in whatever you need to support recharging your batteries in your own way.”
Extroversion is awarded in many fields, including healthcare, Weisman adds. Yet there’s no reason to believe that introverted docs are less capable in terms of meaningful social interaction, skills, or the ability to connect with others.
Regardless of whether you’re naturally outgoing or more reserved, fostering a connection is critical for physicians. As Ajluni says, “Always remember that introvert or not, people are counting on us to come out of ourselves to be there for others.”
Kelly K. James is a freelancer, content manager, and author of The Book That (Almost) Got Me Fired: How I (Barely) Survived a Year in Corporate America. She covers health or wellness, business or career, and psychology topics from her home in the Chicago suburbs.
