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Zachary Murphy dreamed of becoming a medical professional since childhood, but during his studies he discovered another deep passion: sharing his knowledge and helping fellow students. From this passion, Ninja Nerd was born—an educational platform whose videos are now followed by millions worldwide, including both students preparing for healthcare careers and doctors and other healthcare professionals with decades of experience. In addition to his educational work, Zachary works in a neurointensive care unit. We spoke with him about the challenges faced by aspiring and early-career healthcare professionals, as well as the importance of free access to knowledge.

Written by Miklós Stemler

Neither Zachary Murphy nor his friends could have imagined back in 2017 that a passion project started by a small group would, less than a decade later, grow into a YouTube channel with over 3.6 million followers and an online educational platform supported by an international editorial team. The mission, however, has remained unchanged: to create clear, freely accessible educational materials to help people prepare for careers in healthcare.

The success of Ninja Nerd is likely due in part to the fact that Zachary and his friends personally experienced the challenges faced by those entering the medical field: the massive amount of material to be mastered, the daunting gap between theoretical knowledge and hands-on patient care, and the perseverance required to earn a degree and find employment. Zachary, who had long set his sights on a healthcare career, first earned a BA in Biology in 2015. After not being accepted into a physician assistant (PA) program on his first attempt, he returned to his alma mater, Northampton Community College, as a tutor – where he discovered that teaching was also one of his true passions.

"It was first during my biology studies that I realized how rewarding it is to help my fellow students. Then, I had the opportunity to work as a lecturer at the community college back home, where I taught courses to students preparing for careers in healthcare. This was also a great opportunity for me to understand my subjects more deeply because we truly understand something when we can explain it to others. Then, feedback started pouring in that someone had passed an exam thanks to my classes or had understood anatomy, and that was when I realized that what I was doing truly had meaning, and, moreover, I was enjoying it immensely," Zachary recalls the beginnings.

The classes he taught turned out to be so popular that crowds of students started attending them, and that’s when the idea came up with his colleagues, Robert J. Beach and Kristin Beach, to make videos of the lectures so that those who couldn’t be present in person due to work or other commitments could still benefit. This is how Ninja Nerd was born, which became a turning point in Zachary's life.

"This is when I first felt that maybe I really have some kind of talent through which I can help students who are struggling with the material. At first, it was nothing more than making a few videos for students at community colleges, hoping that a few people would watch them. Then suddenly, we noticed that thousands, tens of thousands of people were watching our videos from all over the world. It was amazing to see the impact we made in just the first few months, and that’s when I first thought, wow, this might really be something important."

Zachary began his PA studies in 2017 and earned his master’s degree in 2020. Meanwhile, Ninja Nerd grew steadily, and by August 2020, more than 600,000 people were following their YouTube channel. In addition to Zachary and his colleagues’ personal talents, part of the success was also due to the fact that there was a massive need for the detailed videos they created, especially for students struggling with the volume of material and the requirements of their chosen professions.

It’s like trying to drink from a fire hose

"The primary problem is the enormous amount of material you need to learn. In the PA program, they always said it’s like trying to drink from a fire hose. A huge amount of information is pouring at you, and you need to cram all of it into your head to pass your exams. It doesn’t really matter whether you're in nursing, PA, or medical school, the point is that you need to cram a vast amount of knowledge into your head in a relatively short period, and inevitably, you forget some of it. I know from my own experience how demoralizing that can be for many students; it’s easy to fall into the trap of just memorizing the material for the exam, not focusing on deeper understanding or the connections. That’s why, in our videos, we focus on the broader connections, so that students not only memorize the material but truly understand it."

This is especially important because, after graduation, the real test comes: working with patients, which, as Zachary puts it, consists not of multiple-choice tests but of decisions that carry real consequences.

"I know well how terrifying it can be to transition from the classroom to patient care. One inevitably experiences imposter syndrome: Am I qualified for this? Can I be trusted with this patient? It’s understandable to be afraid to make decisions in such situations because what if we make a mistake? However, I believe that it’s from making bad decisions and mistakes that we can learn the most. That’s why the work of novice healthcare workers is closely supervised. Failure is really an opportunity to make a better decision next time."

Zachary earned his degree during the global health crisis of the COVID pandemic and began working in a neurointensive care unit. The pandemic made healthcare workers’ jobs significantly harder and also highlighted the need for the detailed, yet approachable, educational videos created by Ninja Nerd for remote learning.

"During this period, there was undoubtedly a surge in subscribers, and that’s partly why we decided to turn it into a real business. It wasn’t just a crisis in healthcare, but in education as well – many students were in need of help since learning without a teacher to ask questions in person was much more difficult. According to feedback from our viewers, our videos gave them the feeling of learning together with others. The biggest advantage of in-person teaching is that students can ask questions immediately if they don’t understand something, and we tried to replicate this in our videos, anticipating the most common questions and incorporating them into the videos. We aimed to create something that would allow students to learn, but in a fun and engaging way. I like to joke around sometimes to lighten the mood, and hopefully, we learn together. I hope this helped people make online learning—no matter how forced it was during COVID – useful and enjoyable."

Ninja Nerd has continued to grow even after the pandemic. An international editorial team has formed around the founders, and a huge amount of knowledge is now available on the platform. What remains unchanged, however, is the free access to knowledge. The comments on the videos show that this knowledge is not only useful for students preparing for healthcare careers but also for doctors, nurses, and pharmacists with decades of experience.

"It’s perfectly fine that you need to learn too, and you’ll never know everything"

"This is a huge recognition for us and also an inspiration. Recently, I came across a comment from an internist who said that although he has been practicing for 15 years, he always finds useful things to learn from our videos. That feels amazing, it’s good to know that even long-time practitioners are hungry for new knowledge to better understand their field and become even better. Moreover, it’s an important inspiration for students as well because if even a doctor with decades of experience still has to keep learning, it’s perfectly fine that you need to learn too, and you’ll never know everything."

The international reach of Ninja Nerd is evident not only in the viewers who follow them from all over the world but also in the trips across continents, such as Zachary's lecture in Pécs. These trips are excellent opportunities for gaining experience and serve as a constant reminder of the impact Ninja Nerd has and the responsibility that Zachary and his colleagues have.

"Our first major trip took us to Texas, where we had the opportunity to meet PA students in person and speak at their graduation ceremony. It was such a great experience, and after that came the international trips. The first person who invited us was Sonia from Romania. The experiences we’ve had thanks to these conferences and meetings are simply unforgettable. Everyone is so kind and respectful, and the gratitude we feel from seeing the impact we have on others—it’s far stronger than anything we experienced in other opportunities, like at American schools. These trips not only allow us to meet the people who watch our videos and talk with them, but they also remind us of the platform we have and the huge impact we can make. I think that’s what truly motivates us to keep working. The chance to meet people, take pictures with them, hear their stories, and have these experiences—that’s the best part of these international trips."

The immense success of Ninja Nerd and the work that comes with it has brought big changes in Zachary and his friends' lives, but the enthusiasm and drive remain unchanged.
"When I finished my PA program and started working in a neurointensive care unit, while Ninja Nerd was growing, I was working long 70-80 hour weeks, which inevitably left its mark. Over time, I had to decide what was truly important, and I realized that for me, it’s the impact I can have on millions of students worldwide. That’s when I decided to step back a little from patient care and reduce my hours from 40 a week to about 20. Of course, this still often means early starts and working late into the evening, requiring constant drive and determination to achieve my goals. But I think the feeling that I know how much of an impact I’m making on students around the world is what truly drives me. That’s what keeps me going. That’s my motivation—it’s what pushes me even when I’m tired, when I want to stop or take a break. It’s my ‘gas pedal’: reminding myself of the impact we have on others."

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Photos:

Dávid Verébi