Exactly who gets branded as a ‘top doc’ by the mainstream media?   

They're the high-fliers of the medical world — until they fall from grace, say researchers looking at the who's who of top docs
One of Australia’s favourite top docs, Perth plastic surgeon Professor Fiona Wood. Photo: AAP.

It’s a handy descriptor which seems to capture virtually anyone with a medical degree when journalists are in need of a snappy headline.

But exactly how is the media defining a ‘top doc’ – is there any coherent basis for it?