Dr. Michael Okun was surprised at how sophisticated Reddit users’ questions on Parkinson’s disease were.
Okun, the chair of the UF neurology department, held an “Ask me anything” forum on Reddit, a popular online message board, about Parkinson’s disease Friday. Okun was asked more than 27 questions, and he answered almost all of them, he said.
Two other UF faculty members before Okun held an “Ask me anything” forum this year, but Okun was the first UF neurology doctor to participate, wrote Ashwin Manicka, a Reddit communications associate, in an email.
Okun said he was thrilled to dedicate his time to inform people about Parkinson’s disease. He said he enjoyed teaching people about the disease through a social media platform.
“It’s time for us to really start to embrace social media and educate people about Parkinson’s,” he said.
Todd Taylor, the assistant director of communications at the McKnight Brain Institute, said he sat in on the hourlong session in Okun’s office. Taylor said there is almost no question Okun can’t answer about Parkinson’s.
He said Okun’s character as a doctor was revealed by the time he dedicated to the Reddit users and his desire to make a difference.
“Okun is changing lives,” Taylor said. “The work he is doing is really improving the lives of people and giving them a better life.”
