Social Media Impact: Utility of Reflective Approach in the Practice of Surgery

Abstract

Social media is rapidly being incorporated into medical education. We created a small group, reflective practice sessions by integrating specific medical cases to improve awareness about professionalism on social media. Medical scenarios were generated for reflective practice sessions on social media professionalism. Anonymous pre/post-session surveys evaluated residents' use of social media and gathered their opinions on the session. Thirty-eight of 48 (79 %) residents replied to the presession survey with 50 % (19/38) reporting daily digital media use, 76 % (29/38) witnessed unprofessional postings on social media, and 21 % (8/38) posted unprofessional content themselves. Of the 79 % (30/ 38) residents who attended the session, 74 % (28/38) completed the post-session survey. Residents reported the session added to the longevity of their professional career 4.11, 95 % CI (3.89-4.36). As a result of the session, they were more conscious of using the social media more professionally 3.47, 95 % CI (2.88-3.96) and would be proactive in protecting patient privacy and confidentiality on social media sites 3.96, 95 % CI (3.50-4.37). In summary, reflective practice-based sessions regarding the impact of social media on professionalism in surgery was well favored by the residents. The majority agreed that it had important implications for the longevity of their professional career. Participants reported having an increased awareness to protect patient privacy and utilize social media more professionally.

Dangers and Benefits of Social Media on E-Professionalism of Health Care Professionals: Scoping Review

“…Among 88 studies, 49 were quantitative [ 32 , 33 , 35 , 38 - 43 , 51 - 53 , 55 , 59 - 61 , 64 , 66 - 69 , 71 , 72 , 74 , 75 , 77 - 80 , 82 , 85 , 88 , 89 , 91 , 94 - 96 , 98 , 100 , 102 , 105 - 108 , 110 , 113 , 114 , 116 , 118 ], 12 were qualitative [ 34 , 36 , 44 , 45 , 49 , 57 , 73 , 76 , 92 , 93 , 101 , 104 ], and 27 used mixed methods [ 35 , 37 , 46 - 48 , 50 , 54 , 56 , 58 , 62 , 63 , 65 , 70 , 81 , 83 , 84 , 86 , 87 , 90 , 97 , 99 , …”

“…Studies that assessed SM use among different types of HCPs found high use among students, from 66.9% to 98.7% [ 40 , 43 , 50 , 51 , 60 , 61 , 64 - 66 , 68 - 70 , 102 ]; the highest with 98.7% using Facebook at least once a week was established among dental students. Lower rates of use were seen in practicing HCPs, physicians of different specialties, and program directors (PDs) or faculty, mostly ranging from 50% to 80% [ 35 , 39 , 74 , 80 , 83 , 85 , 86 , 88 , 89 , 91 , 96 , 105 , 106 , 108 , 110 , 113 , 114 ]. The exceptions were 3 studies: family medicine residents and physicians in Saudi Arabia where 95.4% of participants reported having an SM account and checking them at least once a day [ 79 ], 93.4% of medical doctors in a Singapore hospital [ 100 ], and 100% of Chinese registered nurses owned an SM account [ 107 ].…”

“…Studies that assessed the online unprofessional behavior of residents or practicing HCPs were dominantly among different physicians’ specialties (emergency medicine [EM], public health professionals, surgical residents or practicing surgeons, urology residents or practicing urologists, different residencies/specialties) [ 77 , 80 , 83 , 84 , 86 , 87 , 89 , 96 , 99 , 100 , 119 ], with 1 study investigating nurses [ 107 ] and 1 investigating pharmacists [ 34 ].…”

“…A total of 10 studies have tried to assess effectiveness of educational sessions or workshops incorporated in students’ or residents’ curriculum [ 46 , 48 , 52 , 54 , 55 , 60 , 63 , 81 , 89 , 103 ], and 1 study assessed the effects of formal SM instruction and policy on residents’ ability to navigate case-based scenarios about online behavior in the context of professional medicine [ 88 ]. In 4 studies that included medical students as participants [ 46 , 48 , 60 , 63 ], educational interventions were positively accepted by students and showed a positive impact on the way they view themselves and their use of SM.…”

Evolving use of social media among Chinese urologists: Opportunity or challenge?

“…From 2014 to 2016, during the CUA Annual National Academic Conference on Minimally Invasive Urology, attendees of the meeting of urological surgeons were invited to complete an anonymous 19-item questionnaire (in 2016, 3 more questions were added to the survey, for 22 questions in total; see S1 Fig ). The questionnaire was piloted by the authors and a separate group of urologists in Hunan Province based on two previous surveys[ 19 , 20 ]. The survey took approximately 10 minutes to complete and queried respondents about their personal and professional use of social media.…”