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Cited by 43Social Media in Health EducationInnovations in Medical EducationEducational Technology in Learning

Beyond Good and Evil: Exploring Medical Trainee Use of Social Media

Open access
George, Daniel R., Green, Michael J.·2012·Teaching and Learning in Medicine
DOI 10.1080/10401334.2012.664972
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Medicine has struggled to integrate a new generation of social media technologies. Rather than focusing on the promise of these emerging tools, the academic literature is replete with admonishments of how social media pose a danger to medical professionals, and guidelines regarding social media are written with expectations of misuse rather than consideration of positive application. SUMMARY: To better learn how new technology might be integrated into professional lives, it is imperative to seek perspectives from younger trainees who have already begun navigating the unique professional and ethical dilemmas posed by social media and might assist in identifying innovative uses of existing tools. CONCLUSIONS: The views and practices of current trainees can provide important insight into the proactive role social media can play in the delivery of more effective health care during an era in which social media usage is invariably increasing for medical professionals and patients.

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

This commentary argues that the academic literature and professional guidelines on social media in medicine are framed around misuse and danger, and that the perspectives of younger trainees—who are already navigating these platforms—should be sought to identify positive professional applications. It calls for empirical data on trainees' attitudes and practices to inform more nuanced policy and curricula.

Key findings

As a commentary, the paper reports no original data; its claims are drawn from cited literature.

  • The paper states that "recent studies estimate that more than 90% of medical students use online social media," while noting that students' perspectives on appropriate use and their actual practices "have not been well explored."
  • It characterizes the AMA's 2010 professionalism guidelines as "written with expectations of misuse rather than consideration of potentially positive application."
  • It asserts that social media are "emergently being used to enhance self-directed lifelong learning, professional networking, and communication" and that "a growing majority of patients are seeking out social networks and other online sources to acquire health information."
  • It argues that trainees are "pragmatic users" actively shaping their own norms of ethical and professional conduct online, and that their views "may represent a bellwether for future trends in medicine."

Methods

Not stated in the paper. The text is a conceptual/editorial piece that poses a series of research questions (e.g., how students separate personal and professional online identities, what they see as the main perils of the medium, how they handle ethically challenging situations) rather than presenting a study design, sample, or analysis.

Limitations

The paper states no limitations. Evident from the text: it presents no empirical data of its own, so its claims about trainee attitudes and practices rest on cited studies and the authors' argumentation; the proposed research questions are framed as future work rather than answered here.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1080/10401334.2012.664972

Cites

21 of 21 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Claims the paper makes

0 of 12 cited sources checked · 0 supported · 0 flagged

  • Premisecitation

    More than 90% of medical students use online social media.

    “Recent studies estimate that more than 90% of medical students use online social media. 9”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [9] source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Premisecitation

    The academic literature on social media in medicine is dominated by warnings about dangers and misuse rather than by consideration of positive applications.

    “Rather than focusing on the promise of these emerging tools, the academic literature is replete with admonishments of how social media pose a danger to medical professionals, and guidelines regarding social media are written with expectations of misuse rather than consideration of positive application.”
    • Also stated in: § Abstract · boosted
      “Indeed, the academic literature is replete with admonishments of how social media are dangerously breaching the old “boundary markers” and “pieties” of medicine”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites [2][3][4][5][6]

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [7][8][9]

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [10] Shore R, 2011, The Journal of Clinical Ethics source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Premisecitation

    Medical students' perspectives on appropriate social media use and their current practices have not been well explored.

    “Despite this meteoric rise in use, the perspectives of students regarding the appropriate utilization of this technology (as well as their current practices) have not been well explored. 21”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [21] source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. 5
  • May combine two claims. 5

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based).

    Interpretationreasoning

    The views and practices of younger trainees may represent a bellwether for future trends in medicine.

    “their views and practices may represent a bellwether for future trends in medicine.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    It is unknown how future doctors plan to integrate social media into their professional lives, which tools have the greatest potential for future health care delivery, or how individuals with different privacy norms can integrate standardized guidelines.

    “It is not known, for example, how future doctors envision integrating social media into their professional lives, 11 what tools might have the greatest potential in the future delivery of health care, 22 or how individuals who 156 D. R. GEORGE, M. J. GREEN have come of age with different norms of privacy can realistically integrate standardized guidelines into their professional lives. 23”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites [11] source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [22] source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [23] Gorrindo T, 2011, The Journal of Clinical Ethics source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based).

    Interpretationreasoning

    The views and practices of current trainees can provide important insight into the proactive role social media can play in delivering more effective health care.

    “The views and practices of current trainees can provide important insight into the proactive role social media can play in the delivery of more effective health care during an era in which social media usage is invariably increasing for medical professionals and patients.”
    • Also stated in: § Abstract · hedged
      “Trainees might provide important insight into the proactive role that social media can play in the delivery of more effective health care in coming decades.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Social media technologies are emerging as tools that can enhance self-directed lifelong learning, professional networking, communication, and health system efficiency and effectiveness.

    “There are signs that these technologies are emergently being used to enhance selfdirected lifelong learning, professional networking, and communication and can play a role in improving efficiency and effectiveness of health systems.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites 2,[11][12]2][13][14][15]

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Medical students are generally facile with social media but eager for their institutions to provide professional guidance and direction.

    “Studies have found that medical students are generally facile with social media but are eager for their institutions to provide professional guidance and direction. 21”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [21] source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation

    The American Medical Association's 2010 guidelines on professionalism and social media emphasize cautionary advice and expectations of misuse rather than positive applications.

    “Guidelines for professionalism and the use of social media developed by the American Medical Association in 2010 10 -which offer cautionary advice on posting identifiable information online, safeguarding sensitive online content using”
    • Also stated in: § Abstract · plain
      “are written with expectations of misuse rather than consideration of potentially positive application.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [10] Shore R, 2011, The Journal of Clinical Ethics source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based). May combine two claims.

    Premisenone given

    Younger trainees have come of age during the social media boom, approach social networking as natives, and have already begun navigating the professional and ethical dilemmas posed by social media.

    “This includes not only social-media-savvy faculty who have fully developed professional identities 20 but also younger trainees, many of whom have come of age during the social media boom.These younger individuals often approach social networking as “natives” having already begun navigating the unique professional and ethical dilemmas”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    A growing majority of patients use social networks and other online sources to obtain health information and connect with others who have similar conditions.

    “Furthermore, a growing majority of patients are seeking out social networks and other online sources to acquire health information and connect with others affected by similar conditions.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [16][17]7][18][19]

      Not checked in the free run.

8 of 8

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Medicine has had difficulty integrating social media technologies.

    “Medicine has struggled to integrate a new generation of social media technologies.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Social media usage is invariably increasing for medical professionals and patients.

    “during an era in which social media usage is invariably increasing for medical professionals and patients.”
    “Obtaining data about actual attitudes and practices is critical for helping the medical profession adapt to an era in which social media is becoming more popular than e-mail, not only among clinicians but also for patients who are using social media as a platform for education, advocacy, and support.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Medical trainees are pragmatic users of social media and actively shape their own ethical and professional norms on these platforms.

    “students are actually pragmatic users and are actively shaping their own norms of ethical and professional conduct on these platforms.”
3 of 3

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • Prior literature has highlighted both benefits and risks of social media in healthcare, but there remains limited understanding of how generational perspectives shape views of professionalism in healthcare social media use.

    “Prior literature has highlighted both benefits and risks of social media in healthcare,4–13 but there remains limited understanding of how generational perspectives shape views of professionalism in healthcare social media use.”

    From Evaluating perceptions of social media professionalism by healthcare workers (2026) · cites this paper as [10]

  • The literature on social media in medicine has emphasized risks far more than benefits.

    “the discussion of the dangers of SM in medicine has largely overwhelmed consideration of its potentially positive applications.11”

    From Dangers and Opportunities for Social Media in Medicine (2013) · cites this paper as [11]

  • Current guidelines stress risks over benefits and assume misuse rather than positive use.

    “the tone and content of existing guidelines focuses disproportionately on the risks rather than the benefits of SM, and suggests an expectation of misuse rather than consideration of how technologies might be used in a positive manner.11”

    From Dangers and Opportunities for Social Media in Medicine (2013) · cites this paper as [11]

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. Fox S, 2009, The social life of health information
  2. Fox S, 2009, Chronic disease and the Internet
  3. McGowan B., The “meaningful use” of social media by physicians

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Related

Authors
George, D. R., & Green, M. J.
Affiliations
Pennsylvania State University (US)
ORCID
Venue
Teaching and Learning in Medicine
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2012-04
Volume
24
Issue
2
Pages
155-157
ISSN
  • 1040-1334 (ISSN-L)
  • 1532-8015
DOI
10.1080/10401334.2012.664972
OpenAlex
W1970468686
Semantic Scholar
146955492a81dc143ba51327a8ff14afc6389ee4
Cited by
43
References
21
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 6
FWCI
6.23
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Teaching and Learning in Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Health › Social Media in Health Education
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Innovations in Medical Education
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › Educational Technology in Learning
Keywords
social media, medical trainees, medical education, professional ethics, social media policy, physician-patient communication, trainee perspectives
MeSH terms
Attitude to Computers, Humans, Students, Medical, Social Media

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Claims read by deepseek-v4.1-flash under definition version 3 (extract-v3) on 2026-10-09.

Classified by jev-1.13-20260917 (gold-guideline-v0.2) on 2026-10-09.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

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