Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

A social media background is an asset in medicine

Allison A. Greco
Social media
September 30, 2011
405 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

I have a confession to make. Lately I’ve been doing some soul-searching regarding the future of my social media presence. It started at a lecture I attended a few weeks ago, where students and residents were cautioned to avoid public social media profiles and blogging. It came up again one morning while I was discussing some current events with other students, and was mentioned most recently at a professionalism talk that I attended. On each of these occurrences, I’ve found myself having to ferociously defend my position on the subject, only to receive the same, cautionary response, “Oh, I would just be careful..”

While difficult to convey in print, the overall tone of voice and demeanor that generally accompany this phrase are probably best described as ‘politely cynical.’ I don’t honestly know if my fellow medical students are that uninterested in social media by way of personal preference, or afraid of the repercussions that social media engagement may have on their budding careers. In either case, it is disheartening, and I respond with the same passionate explanation of my point of view.

That’s not to say that I also haven’t considered the consequences of choosing to maintain a public online presence, or that I haven’t been terrified by the prospect of being turned away on Match Day because my social media profile is viewed as a liability rather than an asset. However, it DOES mean I have been doing a lot more thinking about how I will one day tackle the issue of social media as I apply to residencies.

In college I decided to study communications because I liked to write and talk in front of people. I had always been the first to volunteer for class presentations and had done some high-school public speaking events, so I felt that studying communications would help make me a unique medical school applicant. As part of my graduation requirements, I put together a reader course with one of my professors to discuss different types of healthcare communications. We initially talked about topics like pharma advertising and small group and two-person didactic communication theories. One day the professor brought up the issue of patients receiving health information from websites, such as WebMD. That was my first experience with online medical information, and probably where my fascination with the relationship between health care and the media began.

With that said, the reasons I engage in social media reach far beyond a superficial compulsion to keep up-to-date with news and celebrity gossip. Through observation and practice, I have developed my own rules for participating both safely and ethically in online social spheres. I enjoy writing in general, and the fact that I maintain a blog and social media profiles has opened the door to multiple freelance writing positions, as well as valuable networking and mentorship opportunities. While I am not qualified to (and certainly would not) disseminate any medical advice, I do feel as though I am establishing the credibility I need to one day advocate for my patients, particularly in the media. As was pointed out in a recent KevinMD.com post, celebrities and politicians currently hold more sway when it comes to providing medical information and changing public opinion than do trained physicians. I’m not saying I want to be the next Dr. Oz, but my background in writing, social media, and communications will certainly help me more effectively reach out to my patients, my government and community leaders, and my colleagues, as well as help me become a more effective medical educator, should my career take me down that path.

I can’t honestly say that my very first social media profile was created with the goal of career enhancement in mind. However, at this point in my education, I feel as though my background in social media is more of an asset – regardless of where in medicine I end up – than a liability, and I am thus proud to say that I will not be deleting or hiding any of my profiles as I advance to the next stage of medical education. My sites and profiles may undergo a few face-lifts as I conform to the social media policies of whichever institutions I become affiliated with, but I am officially here to stay.

Allison A. Greco is a medical student who blogs at MD2B.

Submit a guest post and be heard on social media’s leading physician voice.

Prev

The empowered patient is a relief for physician practice

September 30, 2011 Kevin 10
…
Next

Doctor, do you have enough money?

September 30, 2011 Kevin 5
…

Tagged as: Facebook, Medical school, Twitter

Post navigation

< Previous Post
The empowered patient is a relief for physician practice
Next Post >
Doctor, do you have enough money?

More by Allison A. Greco

  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    The residency journey is just getting started

    Allison A. Greco
  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    Appreciating the beauty of a time out in the OR

    Allison A. Greco

More in Social media

  • From penicillin to digital health: the impact of social media on medicine

    Homer Moutran, MD, MBA, Caline El-Khoury, PhD, and Danielle Wilson
  • Blogging for beginners: tips for success in any niche

    Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Claire Unis, MD
  • Uncovering the hidden struggles of NYC nurses: an insider’s perspective [PODCAST]

    The Podcast by KevinMD
  • What I learned after being hacked on social media

    Cindy Tsai, MD
  • On the internet, you are looking for something to make you angry

    Judson Ellis
  • They didn’t teach social media in medical school

    David Epstein, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • Healing the damaged nurse-physician dynamic

      Angel J. Mena, MD and Ali Morin, MSN, RN | Policy
    • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Physician
    • Deaths of despair: an urgent call for a collective response to the crisis in U.S. life expectancy

      Mohammed Umer Waris, MD | Policy
    • Breaking the stigma: Addressing the struggles of physicians

      Jean Antonucci, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • The hidden dangers of the Nebraska Heartbeat Act

      Meghan Sheehan, MD | Policy
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
  • Recent Posts

    • Lazarus: the dead man brought back to life

      William Lynes, MD | Conditions
    • Revolutionizing COPD management with virtual care solutions [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • What I think it means to be a medical student in the wake of AI

      Jackson J. McCue | Tech
    • It’s time for C-suite to contract directly with physicians for part-time work

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD | Physician
    • The psychoanalytic hammer: lessons in listening and patient-centered care

      Greg Smith, MD | Conditions
    • From rural communities to underserved populations: How telemedicine is bridging health care gaps

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 17 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • Sam Neill's Rare Lymphoma
  • Day in the Life of a Doctor: Treating a Patient With Septic Shock
  • Paxlovid May Lower Long COVID Risk, VA Study Suggests
  • Digital Inhalers May Improve Uncontrolled Asthma Management
  • Another Win for Zolbetuximab in Advanced Gastric/GEJ Cancer

Meeting Coverage

  • Switch to IL-23 Blocker Yields Deep Responses in Recalcitrant Plaque Psoriasis
  • Biomarkers of Response With Enfortumab Vedotin in Advanced Urothelial Cancer
  • At-Home Topical Therapy for Molluscum Contagiosum Gets High Marks
  • Outlook for Itchy Prurigo Nodularis Continues to Improve With IL-31 Antagonist
  • AAAAI President Shares Highlights From the 2023 Meeting
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • Healing the damaged nurse-physician dynamic

      Angel J. Mena, MD and Ali Morin, MSN, RN | Policy
    • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Physician
    • Deaths of despair: an urgent call for a collective response to the crisis in U.S. life expectancy

      Mohammed Umer Waris, MD | Policy
    • Breaking the stigma: Addressing the struggles of physicians

      Jean Antonucci, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • The hidden dangers of the Nebraska Heartbeat Act

      Meghan Sheehan, MD | Policy
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
  • Recent Posts

    • Lazarus: the dead man brought back to life

      William Lynes, MD | Conditions
    • Revolutionizing COPD management with virtual care solutions [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • What I think it means to be a medical student in the wake of AI

      Jackson J. McCue | Tech
    • It’s time for C-suite to contract directly with physicians for part-time work

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD | Physician
    • The psychoanalytic hammer: lessons in listening and patient-centered care

      Greg Smith, MD | Conditions
    • From rural communities to underserved populations: How telemedicine is bridging health care gaps

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today iMedicalApps
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

A social media background is an asset in medicine
17 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...