Paging Dr. Fran: How one osteopathic OB-GYN is reshaping women’s health advocacy

Before she was “Paging Dr. Fran” to over a million followers online, she was a medical student at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) discovering the profound impact of a comforting osteopathic touch. Now a full-time OB-GYN and mom of three, Franziska Haydanek, DO, is on a mission to cut through the digital noise with evidence-based care and a healthy dose of reality.

This month, she joins us to discuss the superhero strength of women, her mission to bridge the gap in digital health and the unique family medicine dynamic she shares with her husband. Following is an edited Q&A.

As a LECOM alumna, what drew you to osteopathic medicine? How has your training shaped the way you approach patient care, particularly in women’s health?

When I was applying to medical school, I just wanted the chance to be a doctor. I felt very passionately that I needed to be a physician, and I was open to any opportunity that was going to get me there. I applied very broadly across the country to both MD and DO schools. Both, to me, were equal opportunities to become a physician, and when I had the chance to become a DO, I jumped at that chance.

When I reflect on my osteopathic education, I think there are so many similarities between DO and MD schools, but a real benefit we have early on in our training as DOs is feeling comfortable touching our patients. There’s so much you can learn from a physical exam. Human touch is such an important part of the physician-patient relationship and having that comfort with touch early on was really important.

Now, as an OB-GYN, I’m with patients during some of the most truly vulnerable parts of their lives. They have experiences that shape how they feel about their bodies, so knowing when and how to provide a comforting touch, or when not to touch, is really important.

You’ve built a strong online presence as ‘Paging Dr. Fran.’ What inspired you to start sharing medical content online, and how do you balance being both a physician and a public educator?

I started in 2021. I had just graduated from my residency, and I had a little extra time on my hands. I was on maternity leave, and I saw some videos that were incorrect about OB-GYN topics. I thought, “Well, now that I have the expertise and the training to address this, I’d love to make content around it.”

I had a history of making other types of content before, so this was a natural progression for me. And I’ve really seen the importance of physicians being online. Our patients get so much of their medical information online now, with studies showing that about 60% of people get their health information online. If there aren’t physicians there with the appropriate training to provide that information, other people who don’t have that education will.

I’ve been a big advocate for physicians being on social media; I’ve been doing it myself for several years. Our patients want us to be there. They want the education that we may not always have time to provide in the office. We’re limited in the amount of time we have, but patients still want more information.

I work full time as an OB-GYN, so I’ve just found little pockets of time in my days and weeks to do it. I get to work a little early and make a video or two before clinic, I edit at night when the kids are sleeping, and I use my post-call days, like today, to make content. There are little ways I find time. It’s something I really enjoy; it’s not a chore for me. It’s a hobby that also helps people. I’ve found ways to balance being a full-time doctor, a mom to three children, a wife and a content creator on the side.

As mother of three and a practicing OB-GYN, how has your experience with motherhood influenced the way you connect with and care for your patients?

Becoming a mother is a very intimate experience. Something takes over your body that you may or may not have control over. I threw up every single day of all three of my pregnancies. I had to learn what it was like to give up some of that control over myself, and that progressed into parenting.

Being a mom is my greatest honor. It gives me the most joy and the most meaning. I’m a better doctor because I’m a mom, and I’m a better mom because I’m a doctor. In any specialty, you don’t need to experience something firsthand to be a good physician. But I do think that having gone through pregnancies, including pregnancies that weren’t emotionally easy for me, postpartum and going back to work at six weeks has made me appreciate how strong women can be, especially my female physician colleagues who go through this process. They’re just like superheroes.

In recognition of National Women’s Health Week (May 10-16, 2026), what are some key health priorities or preventive measures you feel deserve more attention?

Obviously, everyone needs to keep their Pap smears up to date, in whatever way that looks for them. Now we have HPV self-swabbing, so if having someone do that exam for you is a barrier, we have options where you can swab yourself. That’s one way to make sure your cervical health stays on track.

If you’ve had a history of complications in pregnancy, especially pre-eclampsia or gestational diabetes, those give us insight into your future health. Keeping an eye on issues like these is important; for example, if you’ve had pre-eclampsia, you’ll want to be vigilant about your heart health, and if you’ve had gestational diabetes, you’ll want to keep a close eye on your nutrition and your A1C.

It’s important for all women to stay connected with their primary care physician, make sure their heart health is up to date and, if they can, touch base with a registered dietitian to optimize their nutrition. We’re seeing increases in colon cancer likely directly related to our nutritional status, so working with nutrition experts to stay healthy is important.

Those annual visits with your doctors for preventive care may not always feel like the most important thing, but your health and prevention are the most important thing. All of those pieces are what are going to keep you around for a long, long time.

Your husband, Christopher Haydanek, DO, is also a physician and practices family medicine. How has being married to another osteopathic physician fostered an ‘iron sharpens iron’ dynamic in your clinical perspective?

We met on the very first day of medical school. We were anatomy lab partners at LECOM, so from day one, medicine has been a part of our relationship.

It’s been great to go through this entire journey with someone by my side who truly understands all aspects of it. When I say, “That was a difficult clinic day. I had 24 patients and felt like I couldn’t make anyone happy with their care,” he gets it.

We’ve always complemented each other well in the way we take care of families. Many of our patients see him first for primary care, then come to me for preconception counseling and pregnancy. I deliver their babies, and then they go back to him for their ongoing care, and their baby goes to him too. It’s a really beautiful way to care for people and to be part of true family care.

Although I’m not in family medicine, I’m part of families in a way that many other specialties aren’t. Medicine has always been woven into our relationship. Some people might not like that, but for us, it’s all we’ve ever known, and I’ve been fortunate to go through this whole process with someone by my side.

Related reading:

The family business: When mother and daughter both choose osteopathic medicine

Tips for helping deliver babies on your OB-GYN rotation

Medical school & motherhood: The stats, the reality & the truth