The differences that matter
| Question | Personal website | Practice website | Employer or network profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| About | One physician: biography, focus, training, publications, speaking and media. | A clinic or group: services, locations, providers, insurance and appointments. | One physician, in the format the hospital, group or platform sets. |
| Who controls it | You, when the domain is registered to you. | The practice owner. | The employer or platform. Doximity, for example, lets members edit their profile and turn its public version on or off. |
| Main readers | Referring clinicians, hiring and program committees, conference organizers, media and patients who search your name. | New and current patients. | Patients and colleagues browsing that system or network. |
| Patient forms and booking | Links to the practice for appointments and collects no patient information. | Often handles appointments, forms and portals, which can involve protected health information. | Set by the employer or platform. |
| When you change jobs | Stays with you while you renew the domain. | Stays with the practice. | Employer pages usually change or end; network profiles move with you. |
An individual practitioner who sees the public at a verified location can also have a Google Business Profile, separate from the practice's profile, under Google's guidelines. The online presence checklist covers those free profiles.
Who a personal website helps most
- Physicians changing jobs or applying for fellowship or leadership roles. One link to a public CV, focus and selected work, alongside the documents the application asks for.
- Physicians who speak, teach, consult or talk to media. Organizers and reporters need a current bio, headshot and topics in one place.
- Academic physicians. A publication list says what you published; a site can say what each project answered and what you did.
- Physicians in large groups. A clinic page often gives each provider a short paragraph. A personal site has room for the rest.
- Physicians who share a name with someone else. Full name, credentials, specialty and city on one page help readers confirm they found the right person.
When you can skip it
A personal site adds little when your employer profile is accurate and complete, you are not looking for a new role, speaking or media work, and your publications already appear on public profiles. Keep your CV current and check your free profiles instead. The CV vs. website guide explains when a CV is enough.
Ground rules for a professional personal site
- No patient information. Leave out names, photos, case details and anything that could identify a patient, as defined under HIPAA's protected health information rules.
- Say what the site is not. A short note that the site is general information, not medical advice, sets expectations. AMA counsel advises physicians to take care not to form a physician-patient relationship online by accident.
- Check employer policies. Read your employment agreement and media policy before naming your employer or using its logo.
- No fake or paid reviews. The FTC's 2024 rule bans fake reviews and testimonials.
- Disclose financial relationships on speaking and consulting pages. The personal branding guide lists the rules that apply.
How to get one
There are three routes: build it yourself with a website builder, hire a designer or agency, or use a done-for-you service. The how-to guide compares them with sourced costs, and the portfolio guide lists what to include. With CredentialedMD you send your CV and portrait, the team builds the site, and nothing launches until you approve it. Hosting and small monthly updates are included; see current plans and example designs.
Common questions
Is a physician personal website the same as a practice website?
No. A practice website is about the clinic and its services and belongs to the practice. A personal website is about you and stays under your control while you renew your domain.
Can I have a personal website if a hospital or group employs me?
Usually, but read your employment agreement and media policy first, and ask before using the employer's name or logo. Link to your employer profile for appointments.
Should patients book appointments on my personal website?
Link to your practice's scheduling page instead. A personal site should not collect patient information.
Will a personal website put me first when people search my name?
It gives search engines one accurate page about you, but no one controls search results. Google states that inclusion in its index is not guaranteed.
See yours before you decide
The free preview turns your CV into a private website draft in your browser and publishes nothing. Paid plans include team review before launch.
Sources
- Google, Guidelines for representing your business on Google
- Doximity, How to enable or disable your Doximity public profile
- ICANN, Registrants' Benefits and Responsibilities
- 45 CFR 160.103, definition of protected health information
- American Medical Association, Create a personal online physician brand that works (2018)
- Federal Trade Commission, final rule banning fake reviews and testimonials (August 14, 2024)
- Google Search Central, SEO Starter Guide
Sources checked October 18, 2026. Policies change; confirm current terms with each source. CredentialedMD is not affiliated with Google, Doximity or the AMA.