The use of social media in this country is a ubiquitous phenomenon that, quite accurately, has found a place in the cultural zeitgeist. Its temptations are not unknown to those willing to post and share as much about themselves as they expect others who participate. In fact, exposing oneself to, literally, the world has not only become a necessary part of the online social networking milieu, it has also become rather sobering. In a sour economy in which the competition for the most mundane of jobs is exceedingly fierce, potential hires run the risk of exposing a little too much of themselves to employers on social networking sites; any negative or provocative post may be all that is needed to throw a monkey wrench into the desperate job seeker’s hope at gainful employment.

Employers aren’t hiding the fact that routine searches for “dirt” on applicants is an essential part of the vetting process. Facebook poster beware. Perhaps, newly matriculated medical students can learn from the tribulations of job hunters who became a little to gregarious on these sites.

A new study finds most medical school deans surveyed said they were aware of students posting unprofessional content online, including photos of drug paraphernalia and violations of patient privacy. Some infractions resulted in warnings, others in being expelled.

Social media is here to stay. Apart from many of the negatives seemingly sensationalized by the mainstream media, there are many superb uses for such tools in all facets of life, and medicine is no stranger to its inclusion. One professional social network to which I belong provides a great example of the democratization of ideas expressed in a professional manner. Yes, news outlets love a juicy story; and this tale of medical students behaving badly only shows us that the vetting process for choosing future physicians may be flawed in at least one area. | LINK

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