The epidemic of the "I Know All" expert | Mikhail (Doctor Mike) Varshavski | TEDxMonteCarlo 

student: “i don’t know” teachers: _electric chair_

What I love about Dr. Mike is the fact that he practices what he preaches. If anyone watches his videos, when he doesn't know something he will outright tell his audience that he doesn't know. He will always whip out his cellphone to check Google to look up the answer. His curiosity to know is what makes him a great practitioner.

He is far batter at public speaking than his RU-vid channel let’s on. He used many story telling and debate tactics. He’s an amazing public speaker and makes very clear points. This Ted talk only made me respect him more

Fun fact: this speech was written on the plane ride to the ted convention.

Saying "I don't know" during the most difficult job interview I've ever had landed me the job.

i finally found the most thirsty comment section of tedx talks

He's talented , smart , intelligent , successful , handsome and has a great personality . Wtf is he even a human ?

dang, this is the most quiet ted audience i've ever not heard

I’m a simple person, I see Dr. Mike, I click.

The fact that he openly said that he has rejected advertising companies and their big checks, tells me he really cares about his field.

I’m straight, but I think it’s fair to say that dr Mike is the perfect male specimen

He got that Disney prince vibe 🤩

"the more you study, the more you don't know" that was my motto in school lol

His suit is tailored so well

“my name is Mike Varshavski” Mike Waskawski: *finally, a worthy opponent*

Doctor Mike is an ideal youth, an example for young citizens. He is a doctor, who studied and worked hard to build his career. He took care of his mother in her last days and still takes care of his father. He motivates people to be fit and achieve goals through consistent hard work. Also, he is a very ethical man. I hope I am able to imbibe some of his qualities in my own life. I wish him well. More power to him.

His suit is on point and so is his speech

This man is so much more than just his fantastic looks. Dr. Mike is clearly a dedicated physician who cares about people and wants to help them live better, healthier, happier lives. In this day and age of ushering people in and out of exam rooms just to maximize the number of patients through the door, you can tell Dr. Mike is different. His advice is refreshing. I think starting a conversation with your medical provider is IMPERATIVE to quality care. And if your doctor is offended or makes you feel small for asking? Well, it's time to find another one, pronto. Your life is too precious to leave in the care of someone's inflated ego.

He’s like * pause for laughter * * realizes no one’s laughing *

That blazer is doing chest compressions.

His speech is perfect, he never stutters or uses filler words

I'm sorry, where are my "CHEST COMPRESSIONS"??

...anyone here after he revealed that he wrote this speech on the flight to the ted talk? lolol

As a surgeon, I wholeheartedly agree with this talk. I have seen colleagues prey upon naïve patients' fears to give miracle treatments which are not based on evidence. Many times my advices fall on deaf ears when I tell patients that some "xyz" thing is not yet known/accepted completely in medical sciences.

*'take any PhD in the room and they'll all tell you the same thing: The more years they spent studying a subject, the more they realize they don't know, the more questions you have, because the more questions you have, the the sign of intelligence'* Amazing speech.

people here are commenting saying that the crowd is dead and blah blah blah. the actual fact is the crowd is too busy listening to him instead of making some noise. he is talking sense. so it's natural for the crowd to go mute only to make sure that they don't miss anything he says!

I feel like he was swinging for some laughs... but the audience was so stern and quiet.

He's so well spoken. I really admire him. Doctor Mike deserves all the attention hes getting right now.

I respect a doctor that says “I don’t know”, but they should always follow up with “I am willing to try to find out”

The crowed is listening. It is not the setting to make noise and clap at random points. Its a formal speech and you clap at the end.

At <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="432">7:12</a> when he said *Imagine what a true celebrity gets if I'm being offered these deals* my respect for him skyrocketed. Doc....You are a real celebrity. 🔥

*"Hey its that hot doctor"*

What's really impressive is that he's doing this whole speech with no notes in front of him whatsoever. And it's a cohesive, complete, and well-structured speech.

As a doctor, I'm so proud to know that our community has a doctor like Dr. Mike! What a well spoken & humble man, also very smart :)

As a biologist who's currently doing a masters, I'm so satisfied seeing how well-researched he is. I'm so satisfied seeing a male medical practitioner let go of doctor ego and be so open and transparent about things. He truly is passionate about medicine and science and most importantly , cares about the patients.

I sat through that whole great “Ted talk-“ I wouldn’t even call it a “Ted talk” Because it hit harder then just a regular, 12 minute Ted talk. People, doctors or not, really do need to be recognized for their honesty. ESPECIALLY DOCTORS I agree fully with Mikhail Varshavski

I thought Clark Kent was a reporter, not a doctor.

Dr Mike works hard, but his blazer button works harder.

I think this “I don’t know” answer should be told students more, that it is okay to say that. I’m sure every one who was a student, has minimum once felt embarrassed/ashamed to say “I don’t know”, because of fear being judged by the teacher and/or their classmates. But dr. Mike is true. Saying “I don’t know” is not bad. It’d be bad if you really don’t know, make something up, but then don’t learn the right answer. But it’s not bad not knowing. It shows you’re honest and are open to learn new things. Don’t be afraid of it.

Can confirm, “I don’t know” is way better to hear than “there’s nothing wrong”

So much more than “a hot Dr”; don’t get me wrong he’s extremely attractive but the brain on this man, the poise, the humility the class. This is a mans man. It almost does him a disservice to be so damn “hot”. But his future wife will be one blessed woman.

WAIT DOCTOR MIKE HAD A TED TALK??

This is awesome. Saying “I don’t know” never made any expert or graduate bad at anything. It just makes us not God. We’re human and even our PhD’s can only teach us so much. This is also really well presented and understandable. Thanks Dr. Mike!

Was about to scroll past “Dr. Mike” caught into my eye Come back and click

Listen, whoever made this man needs to make more of them. A lot more.

While I was watching this, I felt nervous for Doctor Mike because I really wanted him to do well. Now at the end, I'm very happy that he successfully showed his wisdom and charm.

He’s such a great speaker I wish I could do that

I liked Dr Mike before, but the way he handled the covid outbreak and relaying the information and his guidance on how to think about the situation... He's on another level, my friends.

Who is here from Dr.mike's channel 😍😍😍😍

i think God's really showing off by creating him.

This is the first 12 minutes ted talk that I didnt skip and was actually listening to the speech

Dr. Obaz, your hard work and commitment to keeping people healthy and saving lives are truly commendable. Thank you for all that you do. His highly recommended✌️

Tailor: how tight do you want this suit? Dr.mike: Yes

"When your mind is stressed, your mind is very easily influenced."

The positivity he emits is unbelievable

Every American needs to hear this talk and heed. This applies beyond medicine.

me: why is there an increase in autism anti vaxxers: it’s the the medicine my mom:it’s that damn phone

I was getting frustrated by my doctor telling me they didn't know and sending me to a specialist. Thank you for making me appreciate that more than I was!

The amount of silence of audience just proves that how much of a serious talk Dr Mike was having with them

Yes!! Props to Dr Mike for putting out this very important message in such a professional and coherent way. It was so satisfying and relieving to hear someone explaining this problem, because even though it's so common, it seems that people still refuse to acknowledge how negatively it impacts our society, and to try and learn how to avoid it.

"Hey Doctor, you say I have a respiratory virus. What virus is it?" He predicted it

I recently went to a GP to get a vaccination. And the doctor was not sure of the combination of medicine for that particular vaccine. He said “I’m not sure, let me check first”. I really appreciated it because it means that the GP was trying to do the right thing. It also shows that even a health practitioner sometimes does not know/is not sure about a particular subject. The best way for us who don’t receive medical studies and trainings for years, is to let the experts do the right thing and not be swept by hype of instant cure-all.

I love how Dr Mike explains things so beautifully. I am a non science student,still he explains in a Layman way...as much i could understand 80% of the technical jargons. He is a curious doctor who is always eager to learn and doesnt pretend to know everything.. he literally looks up stuff on Google coz not every person is obligated to know every thing.. he is just an amazing person

Dr. Varshavski is a prominent figure on social media so I appreciate the way he brought this subject matter to light as I feel it is extremely important and not talked about enough. Patients seek out doctors during their most vulnerable moments in their life. Because doctors are held to such a high standard because of their schooling and expertise patients often forget the fact that they are human and might not have all of the answers. No matter what you study or do for a living you will never know everything about anything. Doctors being able to say “I don’t know” is a huge part of being a great doctor even though it has such a negative connotation. Being able to acknowledge where your own intellect may be limited is actually beneficial as it gives physicians the opportunity to find out more information about that subject and look into it further which would lead to better patient outcomes. Medicine is such a complex subject and there is no way one person could know everything about it. There are new discoveries being made all of the time so having a doctor that is willing to do further research and try to stay up to date with all of the new information coming out. Also, one has to consider the fact that no two people are the same and each patient have different conditions and unique symptoms that could be outside of a doctors area of expertise. This is exactly why specialties exists in medicine, so one person isn’t required to know absolutely everything about everything and the patient can receive more targeted care. Being able to say “I don’t know” can open the opportunity to build trust between a doctor and patient. By giving the space to work collaboratively to explore all options that are available for the best treatment possible. This can also prevent false hope or the spread of misinformation. Another benefit to admitting when doctors don’t know something is that it takes the pressure off of the doctor so that they don’t feel that they have to know everything and can create a safe space for them to feel more comfortable with continued learning and professional growth. The act of admitting that you don’t know the answer to something is extremely hard for a doctor especially because the culture of medicine values quick answers and certainty of things. Some possible ways to make saying that easier would be to explain to the patient how important evidence based medicine is and make sure they know that gathering as much information as they can before making a diagnosis or treatment can improve outcomes. Referring the patient to a specialist is another way to inadvertently tell patients that you don’t know or offering other resources about a particular problem. Overall, being a physician is a hard position to have as it comes with a large amount of responsibility with other’s lives in their hands. Being able to admit uncertainty is an important aspect of that position and encourages a change in the culture of feeling like the have to know everything and overall improves patient care.

I admire that he is willing to comment and talk about things that other doctors and experts try to avoid

My mother is an IKA expert. Lol.

Most honest TED Talk ever! Love watching Dr Mike

I love this man. He is honest, forthcoming, and knowledgable. I watch his channel and love to learn what he teaches. Healthcare made entertaining.

All my 2020 peeps know what that respiratory virus was😳

No beewoop? *D i s s a p o i n t e d*

I really enjoy Dr. Mike’s content on his RU-vid channel (and other social media outlets), and he’s hitting the nail on the head, here. We as a species are incredibly easily drawn to very simple answers. The problem is that we are incredibly complex creatures. In medical school, one thing that we are often taught is that there is no one, perfect, fix all solution to anything. People live different lives, even in the same home. Identical twins have identical genetics, but trying to treat one the same way as the other could be borderline malpractice. I think it’s important that we focus on avoiding simple biases like authority bias and confirmation bias. We’ve all heard myriad stories about people falling for authority bias by putting too much trust in someone they see as experts, even when the information they provide has been repeatedly proven wrong. Confirmation bias is so common it’s almost comical at this point. It’s so much easier to believe something that we already agree with and ignore everything else. This is something that we’re repeatedly told to be wary of in my medical school. If we get too hung up on a particular diagnosis for a patient, we might undervalue new information as it comes to us, leading to poor treatment. Doing that definitely makes us fall short of “first do no harm.” Along those lines, I think the Dunning-Kruger effect is a common occurrence in the types of situations Dr. Mike is talking about. How often are these “experts” only experts in one particular field, while not even recognizing how much they do NOT know about the field they might be providing advice for. One of the funniest things that has happened to me is the fact that I feel like I know less than I ever did, after nearly two years of medical school. The more knowledge you gain, the more likely you are to recognize all that you don’t know. Anyway, I think we all need keep our minds open while also being acutely aware of times when someone might be blowing smoke.

He really is the first one having a speech that I find not just nice to listen to content wise but also because of the chill and still clean way he talks

Is it ok to say I have an intellectual crush on Dr. Mike??

Here from his “stop the vitamin obsession” video....who else?

Doctor Mike has an excellent online presence and I respect his ability to transparently talk about the limitations of health care providers in a meaningful way. The idea that someone may have all the answers is dangerous in any context, and that holds true for health care. In fact, any doctor who admits their own lack of knowledge and is willing to find the answer rather than assume their knowledge is correct is the type of doctor anyone should want to see. It is a commitment to learning and growing that makes a doctor good and most effective for their patients. This open-minded mindset will allow doctors to provide care in the most informed way that expands on recent research. This mindset exemplifies the principle of non-maleficence. By always attempting to provide care in the most informed way and not basing care on ego, one is ensuring that one is providing the most optimal and best guided care possible. This can lead to a collaborative care model for patients that need it, and this leads to a patient centered model of care. Failing to admit limitations can be dangerous and lead to ineffective treatments, misdiagnosis, and an increased likelihood of harm to patients as the outcome of care. Overall, acknowledging limitations in knowledge helps to foster a culture of advancement and improvement in patient care. It is the ethical principle of honesty and transparency that is most prevalent here. Thank you Doctor Mike for exemplifying ethical health care and setting a great example of how medical providers should act in regards to optimal patient care for so many individuals through your massive social media presence.

I know I am listening to this a few years later, but his speech is very accurate for today as well. Amazing speech!

"Sometimes, the best answer is a more interesting question." - Terry Pratchett (The Science of Discworld)

Damn, I could listen to him for hours even if I’m not a medicine student because he has the capacity of explaining complicated things and making them easy to understand. He wants people to be more educated and has found the perfect way to do it via social medias. And each time I watch one of his videos I feel like I’ve learnt something very important. Maybe not something medical that could save my life or somebody’s life, but at least something about human nature. He’s a real reminder that you can be successful and yet still be kind and passionate about your job. I feel like most of the doctors I’ve met don’t have this passion anymore and are seing patients just because they have to help them and not because they want to help them. This man here is a real gem, not only as a Doctor but also as a person, and I’m very glad that he gets the possibility to be recognized as someone who can change people’s life thanks to his words and actions because he deserves it.

I'm so glad youre talking about this. Im so tired of people thinking they have a doctorate in Medical and Psychology and Fitness. It's annoying!

Thank you for this Dr. Mike. We need more people like you.

All dislikes are “I know all”experts

last semester i was studying ted talks on english class, listening and analyzing them. this one has been one of the best ones i’ve ever heard.

Yes! I wish all of us would be willing to say “I don’t know”. To me, those people are the wisest and most reliable people. There’s so much we don’t know and it only hurts people when we won’t admit it.

I love the approach Dr. Varshavski takes toward his practice of medicine. The amount of knowledge physicians have to obtain prior to practicing is immense, and yet, there is still so much we do not know. After investing over a decade in medical training and often spending an obscene amount of loan money on school, I think it is justifiable to want to be able to say we know it all or that we have the answers. While tempting, it would be unethical to do so. The science of medicine is rapidly advancing and even as a current medical student, we are told that much of the information we learn during our training will have changed by the time we graduate. I am grateful that my institution has encouraged us to be comfortable saying “I don’t know”, or “I’ll need to do some more research”. Any provider offering an all-encompassing, all-knowing perspective on a specific condition or treatment plan should be met with serious caution. Such suggestions are rarely effective or absent of severe side effects or adverse outcomes. I really appreciated when Dr. Mike said, “There is no single study that will influence medicine enough to change the standard of care.” We live in a world where everyone has immediate access to a vast collection of online information regarding any condition or medication. And so much of it can be misleading, whether it was intended to or not. Helping patients understand research methods and critically evaluate material has become a large part of a physician’s job. I hope both doctors and patients alike can take Dr. Mike’s advice and get comfortable saying “I don’t know” and be inspired to ask better questions. If we can all do that, healthcare can keep progressing for the better.

He’s a 100% right. As a recent PhD graduate, the more I researched my dissertation topic, the more I realized there was to explore. If anyone ever views themself as an expert with nothing left to learn, they are doing themself and those they interact with a giant disservice.

What if the increase in Autism is just people becoming more aware of it and so more people are diagnosed? For all we know hundreds and thousands of people weren't diagnosed or were diagnosed with something else when it should have been autism.

This is simply a awesome, educational and engaging speech I've ever heard! This is what I love about Dr. Mike❤❤ He not only teaches us, but also practices what he does teach!!

Thank you so much for giving this talk. There are too many doctors concerned about paycheck and connections into industries nowadays that they don't give honest talks such as "I don't know" or "it might be expensive" within the clinic. It was amazing how you persuaded both medical providers AND patients to humble themselves into thinking that medicine is not an all-knowing field, but like you said a field with so many questions. Love seeing a video like this coming from an actual osteopathic physician!

Karen: Why is the rate of autism increasing? Family Care Doctor: I don't know Psychiatric Specialist: The rates didn't really change, we just got better at finding it IKA: BECAUSE DOCTORS BAD

His speech reminds me so much of Socrates' approach to such things: "I know that I don't know".

This man has a great personality Tbh I don't know doctor Mike had a TED talk earlier but what he say is absolutely right Respect

today am gonna be PROACTIVE! thank you Dr. Mike for inspiring us... more power TEDx Talks! - greetings from the sunny Dammam KSA

Nothing worse than a health professional who acts like they know everything while making things up to suit their narrative. I respect a doctor who is willing to say they don’t have an answer or an understanding of something and who is curious enough to really go looking for one. And also respects and listens to their patient’s expertise on their own body and their own condition(s).

That one dude in the sky spent a little extra time on this one

He’s such a great public speaker, I am in awe 🙌🏼

Dr Mike, I love your videos. Turns out your speeches are much, much better! Keep it up!

He's upping the standards of medicine with simple communication. And not even 30 yet.

Dr. Mike. Ted talks. My two worlds collide 🌏

Who else didn’t know dr mike did a ted Ed

Dr. Mike has been and always will be one of my favorite public figures. He is a down to earth physician that truly cares about, as he put it, eradicating disease and restoring optimal health. He could not be more correct when stating that there is a pandemic of “I know all” healthcare professionals. I am certain I am not alone when I say I have encountered one such professional myself. Prior to my medical education, I was easily roped into believing in these cure all’s proposed by certain “experts.” And why shouldn’t I have been? Are they not part of the authority? Have they not studied more than me? Do they not know more about health and its pursuit than I do? As I have grown I have realized that such professionals appeal to this exact naivety. As Dr. Mike points out, we have established a society in which we expect our physicians to know anything and everything about disease, its diagnosis, and its treatment. This is simply unrealistic and has lead to us believing in such unfounded claims. Having a know it all source is comforting, but we must realize that we are human and we have limitations. That being said, it becomes incredibly important for our healthcare professionals to be able to recreating an recognize when they do not know something and, perhaps more importantly, admit that they do not know something. There is power in the phrase “I don’t know” and even more power in the phrase “I don’t know, but I will find out.” We have an ethical responsibility as patients and providers to encourage such behavior. Creating an environment where the phrase I don’t know is encouraged will make us a more ethically responsible society. It will ensure physicians are practicing beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice (the ethical pillars of medicine) by forcing them to inquisitively consider what is being asked of them. Doing so will create and excellent plan of care for their patients.