Abstract
Background Social networking (SN) has become ubiquitous in modern culture. The potential consequences of revealing personal information through SN websites are not fully understood. Objective To assess familiarity with, usage of, and attitudes towards, SN websites by admissions offices at US medical schools and residency programmes. Methods A 26-question survey was distributed in autumn 2009 to 130 US medical school admissions officers and 4926 residency programme directors accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Results A total of 600 surveys were completed, with 46 (8%) respondents who self-identified as reviewing only medical school applications, 511 (85%) who reported reviewing residency programme applications and 43 (7%) who reported reviewing both. 90/600 (15%) medical schools or programmes maintain profiles on SN websites and 381/600 (64%) respondents reported being somewhat or very familiar with searching individual profiles on SN websites. While a minority of medical schools and residency programmes routinely use SN websites in the selection process (53/600; 9%), more than half of respondents felt that unprofessional information on applicants' SN websites could compromise their admission into medical school or residency (315/600; 53%). Conclusions SN websites will affect selection of medical students and residents. Formal guidelines for professional behaviour on SN websites might help applicants avoid unforeseen bias in the selection process.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 126-130 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Postgraduate Medical Journal |
| Volume | 89 |
| Issue number | 1049 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Mar 1 2013 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine(all)
Cite this
Influence of social networking websites on medical school and residency selection process. / Schulman, Carl I; Kuchkarian, Fernanda M.; Withum, Kelly F.; Boecker, Felix S.; Graygo, Jill M.
In: Postgraduate Medical Journal, Vol. 89, No. 1049, 01.03.2013, p. 126-130.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Influence of social networking websites on medical school and residency selection process
AU - Schulman, Carl I
AU - Kuchkarian, Fernanda M.
AU - Withum, Kelly F.
AU - Boecker, Felix S.
AU - Graygo, Jill M.
PY - 2013/3/1
Y1 - 2013/3/1
N2 - Background Social networking (SN) has become ubiquitous in modern culture. The potential consequences of revealing personal information through SN websites are not fully understood. Objective To assess familiarity with, usage of, and attitudes towards, SN websites by admissions offices at US medical schools and residency programmes. Methods A 26-question survey was distributed in autumn 2009 to 130 US medical school admissions officers and 4926 residency programme directors accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Results A total of 600 surveys were completed, with 46 (8%) respondents who self-identified as reviewing only medical school applications, 511 (85%) who reported reviewing residency programme applications and 43 (7%) who reported reviewing both. 90/600 (15%) medical schools or programmes maintain profiles on SN websites and 381/600 (64%) respondents reported being somewhat or very familiar with searching individual profiles on SN websites. While a minority of medical schools and residency programmes routinely use SN websites in the selection process (53/600; 9%), more than half of respondents felt that unprofessional information on applicants' SN websites could compromise their admission into medical school or residency (315/600; 53%). Conclusions SN websites will affect selection of medical students and residents. Formal guidelines for professional behaviour on SN websites might help applicants avoid unforeseen bias in the selection process.
AB - Background Social networking (SN) has become ubiquitous in modern culture. The potential consequences of revealing personal information through SN websites are not fully understood. Objective To assess familiarity with, usage of, and attitudes towards, SN websites by admissions offices at US medical schools and residency programmes. Methods A 26-question survey was distributed in autumn 2009 to 130 US medical school admissions officers and 4926 residency programme directors accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Results A total of 600 surveys were completed, with 46 (8%) respondents who self-identified as reviewing only medical school applications, 511 (85%) who reported reviewing residency programme applications and 43 (7%) who reported reviewing both. 90/600 (15%) medical schools or programmes maintain profiles on SN websites and 381/600 (64%) respondents reported being somewhat or very familiar with searching individual profiles on SN websites. While a minority of medical schools and residency programmes routinely use SN websites in the selection process (53/600; 9%), more than half of respondents felt that unprofessional information on applicants' SN websites could compromise their admission into medical school or residency (315/600; 53%). Conclusions SN websites will affect selection of medical students and residents. Formal guidelines for professional behaviour on SN websites might help applicants avoid unforeseen bias in the selection process.
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U2 - 10.1136/postgradmedj-2012-131283
DO - 10.1136/postgradmedj-2012-131283
M3 - Article
C2 - 23139411
AN - SCOPUS:84877575121
VL - 89
SP - 126
EP - 130
JO - Postgraduate Medical Journal
JF - Postgraduate Medical Journal
SN - 0032-5473
IS - 1049
ER -