How to become a KOL

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If I wanted to do it, here's what I would do:

1. Start developing my Linked In page and network. Lots of posts and articles, self-promoting whatever procedure I'm doing. Generate façade that I'm a mover/shaker/moneymaker

2. Identify company/product I want to be the tapped for. Line up 5+ patients that would be appropriate for that product so the Rep thinks we've established a mutual relationship. Allow them to take me to dinner. Appear charismatic and polished, someone who is a good public speaker. Insert myself into whatever future events they plan to have a vending booth at and shake hands with the managers.

3. Wait for them to invite me to speak about my experience using their amazing product that has changed the lives of my patients. Try to get into group photos with known KOLs. #TheFutureIsBright #PainManagement #Innovation

4. Release heavily photoshopped pictures of myself speaking at the event. Identify other company with non-competing product. Repeat process.
 
gaspasser786 said:
Just curious... all these guys that are up on the podiums during those sponsored lunches - how do they get there? How does one become a KOL and what are the pros/cons of the gig?
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KOL is a euphemism for a top salesman of a company. From the CEO down to the lowliest employees, the culture treats their KOLs as rainmakers of the family. Picture attractive employees giddy about sitting next to you on planes and buying you drinks. If the KOL ALSO has some other bonafides, like recent publications, etc., then $$ can be a plus. But for most KOLs, the pros consist mainly of attention, like you would get if you were salesman of the month.

The main con is derision from colleagues and respected docs. And also if you don't like preparing talks or want to go to conferences, and you don't like superficial sales types sitting next to you on planes.
 
go work for one of the big KOLs out there. you will be pulled into the fold
 
So without KOLs would you rather have sales reps giving out their expert experience on treatments/procedures?
 
Like KOLs this SDN forum can also be highly biased.

I think KOLs are a necessary evil.

the majority of doctors out there do not initiate their own reading but only do so after finding out that something from another doctor or company.

those same doctors do not really go to conferences and if they do then they do not attend all the lectures.
 
gaspasser786 said:
Just curious... all these guys that are up on the podiums during those sponsored lunches - how do they get there? How does one become a KOL and what are the pros/cons of the gig?
Click to expand...

Some people have described their journey to KOL knighthood in spiritual terms. Some pain doctors have actually preached about it. They saw a sign--a Deer on the side of the road or a picture of the Pope--and just like that, they knew. They knew that they have been chosen for prosperity. KOL brother/sisterhood changes you, first subtly and then profoundly--a taste for Italian leather, a yen for Finnish Vodka, table service at the club, airport limousines, upgrades to first class and frequent flier miles. It's a peek behind the curtain at a world that you've only dreamed about.
 
Yeah being a normal KOL isn’t a money maker. It’s just something you want to do.

being a high volume KOL can be lucrative I guess but we make more money in our field if you didn’t travel and just saw patients.
 
drusso said:
Some people have described their journey to KOL knighthood in spiritual terms. Some pain doctors have actually preached about it. They saw a sign--a Deer on the side of the road or a picture of the Pope--and just like that, they knew. They knew that they have been chosen for prosperity. KOL brother/sisterhood changes you, first subtly and then profoundly--a taste for Italian leather, a yen for Finnish Vodka, table service at the club, airport limousines, upgrades to first class and frequent flier miles. It's a peek behind the curtain at a world that you've only dreamed about.
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money and notoriety can do funny things to people...
 
Jigsaw said:
So without KOLs would you rather have sales reps giving out their expert experience on treatments/procedures?
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At least with a sales person you KNOW that they are totally motivated by sales and little else. Sure a KOL can give you info on technique and MAYBE indications but if they want to maintain KOL status can you really trust their opinions on anything else? The internet has made information so much easier to obtain but social media has destroyed our integrity.
 
gaspasser786 said:
Just curious... all these guys that are up on the podiums during those sponsored lunches - how do they get there? How does one become a KOL and what are the pros/cons of the gig?
Click to expand...

One of the first skills that you'll need to master before being asked out on a date is "#Hashtag Happy Talk."

For example, let's say that you're lancing a boil on a patient's butt and you want to share your skill and success with your social media followers. Don't just post and caption it, "Me, lancing a butt boil." Instead, try this: "So humbled to be able to provide patients much need pain relief and end suffering while advancing new Incision and Drainage technologies. Thank you to my excellent colleagues and mentors who stood on the shoulders of giants to bring our specialty to this place today. #Innovation #Leadership #PrecisionI&D #PatientsFirst #OutcomesMatter #NonOpioidSolutions"
 
I believe this thread is called “virtue signaling” - could be wrong but I think thats the term
 
Espn123 said:
I believe this thread is called “virtue signaling” - could be wrong but I think thats the term
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You can use whatever term you would like in order to make it appear that this thread is all just “sour grapes”. Speaking only for myself I am disturbed that what was previously an important position as a thought leader has morphed into KOL which for most who hold the title is completely self-serving.
 
NJPAIN said:
You can use whatever term you would like in order to make it appear that this thread is all just “sour grapes”. Speaking only for myself I am disturbed that what was previously an important position as a thought leader has morphed into KOL which for most who hold the title is completely self-serving.
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Were you under the impression that prior thought leaders weren’t compensated for their teaching and speaking efforts?

The only difference now is social media
 
Espn123 said:
Were you under the impression that prior thought leaders weren’t compensated for their teaching and speaking efforts?

The only difference now is social media
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From what I understand, prior thought leaders received cruises for the whole family or rolexes. I don’t think anything has changed much except now instead of lavish gifts, thought leaders get paid cash to do “events,” which are mostly blathering sessions sprinkled with truly incredible turns of phrase that may just convince you to start doing lumbar fusions or put flexoflex into every patient who fails an epidural.
Oh wait, now that flexoflex doesn’t pay as well it suddenly doesn’t work as well. Couldn’t predict that.
KOL:
“Let me tell you, my young friend, Dr. Cash on the west coast and I go way back, and the future is green if you practice like that guy. Patients love him. Oh and Dr. Money down in Florida, wow! He has figured out a way to stim fibro. He has a study out with [insert any company]. Just put the leads at [insert random level]. We were in New York last week and after a night of, wait I can’t talk about that. Anyway we are all collaborating on a study about treating depression and intractable penile pain concurrently using XPlode stim algorithms. It’s a game changer. These days, there is no excuse for the pain doctor to deprive depression patients of stimulation. You want stim candidates? Go to a shrinks office. Let’s be realistic...if you want to stim for depression you are going to need to find a radic, but come on, who doesn’t have pain in their butt and a swollen foot now and then? Causalgia is your best friend okay? It’s an outdated term in real medicine, but I am talking now about insurance medicine. You want to play hard balls, okay, If you have a swollen toe and a little pain in your knee there you go the Budapest criteria are all met, let’s be serious here.”
This kind of talk can go on without stopping for hours on end. It is a train wreck within a train wreck within a train wreck, and in the end your head is buzzing and for the next 2 days you feel like a loser because you don’t have a center of excellence in XYZ and a fabulous surgery center and various research papers and you can’t talk about pain medicine as if you just snorted crack and had an out of body experience, and maybe you really should be treating everybody with stim instead of whatever shoddy outdated medicine you practice... it’s like a fever dream! Who am I? Am I boring? Am I in the past? Am I scared? Or am I, could I be, one day, could I really be...a KOL?
Epilogue:
A former stent rep told me every nth coronary artery stent box would contain a Rolex in the old days.
So has anything actually changed?
 
KOL = Key Opinion Leader? Is that right? Everyone going on here like they know what KOL means (good for you!) but I had to look it up (thanks for making me feel dumb!). Maybe I have been living under a rock...
 


This is what kol's should really be saying
 
ctts said:
KOL = Key Opinion Leader? Is that right? Everyone going on here like they know what KOL means (good for you!) but I had to look it up (thanks for making me feel dumb!). Maybe I have been living under a rock...
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Totally thought KOL was SDN fodder and stood for Kings of LinkedIn. Thanks for clarifying!
 
Last edited:
ctts said:
KOL = Key Opinion Leader? Is that right? Everyone going on here like they know what KOL means (good for you!) but I had to look it up (thanks for making me feel dumb!). Maybe I have been living under a rock...
Click to expand...
I had to google it…
 
KOL used to be physicians who not only did procedures and saw patients, but they did valid research in their field.

Now, because of social media, their voices are drowned out by the snake oil KOLs, who barely do their own cases and have no validity for what they are espousing. Their "data" is coming primarily from the sales reps.
 
Is someone who posts on LinkedIn a leader in the field? the answer is no

a leader in the field is someone who does research, teaches, and helps the field in general

to me, “KOL” means the latter, not the former
 
So who are the best people to follow on LinkedIn?
 
SSdoc33 said:
you are no augustus gloop. more like a verruca salt, if i had to guess.


i personally identify more as an oompa loompa
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I identify more with Grandpa Joe. I would stay in bed all day if that were a viable option.
 
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