Online professionalism and Facebook – Falling through the generation gap
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: Facebook is the most popular social networking site (SNS) worldwide. The growing popularity of SNSs brings 'e-professionalism' to the forefront. AIMS: To assess Facebook use, publicly accessible material and awareness of privacy guidelines and online professionalism by students, foundation year doctors (FYDs) and senior staff grades (SSGs). METHODS: It was an ethical risk to access publicly available information online as many users do not appreciate the lack of privacy involved, therefore a cross-sectional survey was undertaken. Participants included 42 students, 20 FYDs and 20 SSGs from the Severn Deanery (UK). RESULTS: All 42 students and 20 FYDs had Facebook compared with 6 (30%) SSGs. Of these, 17 students (41%), 15 FYDs (75%) and 3 SSGs (50%) had public 'info pages'. 37 students (88%) reported colleagues behaving unprofessionally online with 16 FYDs (80%) but no SSGs. 32 students (76%) felt their professionalism was threatened online, alongside 18 FYDs (90%) and 2 SSGs (33%). Only 11 students (26%), 10 trainees (50%) and no SSGs were aware of guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: Professionals lack awareness of their professional vulnerability online. They are not careful in restricting access to their posted information and are not mindful that the principles of professionalism apply to SNSs.
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The frequency of medical students observing peers posting unprofessional content online was less than the 88 % found by Osman et al.
“but less frequently than found by Osman, et al. (88 %) [15].”
From Who’s misbehaving? Perceptions of unprofessional social media use by medical students and faculty (2016) · cites this paper as [15]
The current survey results confirm previous reports that physicians in training use social media networks more commonly than faculty.
“confirm previous reports that physicians in training use social media networks more commonly than faculty [13–16].”
From Who’s misbehaving? Perceptions of unprofessional social media use by medical students and faculty (2016) · cites this paper as [15]
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“As the numbers of medical professionals and patients using these SNS’s soar, it is therefore essential that we define guidelines for online professionalism, aptly described as ‘eprofessionalism’ by Cain (2008).”
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- Authors
- Osman, A., Wardle, A., & Caesar, R.
- Affiliations
- University of Bristol (GB)
- Royal College of Ophthalmologists (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Osman, Ahmed
- Venue
- Medical Teacher
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2012-04-11
- Volume
- 34
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- e549-e556
- ISSN
- 0142-159X (ISSN-L)
- 1466-187X
- OpenAlex
- W2119431126
- Cited by
- 67
- References
- 12
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 4
- FWCI
- 9.47
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Medical Teacher (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
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Keywords
- online professionalism, Facebook, social networking sites, medical students, foundation doctors, privacy awareness, professional vulnerability, intergenerational differences
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Confidentiality, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, United Kingdom, Humans, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Male, Medical Staff, Students, Medical, Intergenerational Relations, Professional Role, Young Adult, Social Media
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