Attitude Towards Use of Social Media for Medical Education and Professional Networking
Main Article Content
Abstract
Background: Social media platforms are increasingly used for medical education and professional networking. Understanding attitudes across health professional trainees and staff can guide formal educational strategies and policy.
Objective: To evaluate attitudes toward use of social media for medical education and professional networking among MBBS students/interns, nursing students, and paramedical staff.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 250 participants (100 MBBS students/interns, 50 nursing students, 100 paramedical staff). A structured questionnaire captured demographics, platform usage, purposes (education, networking, patient education, personal use), perceived benefits and risks, professionalism concerns, and preferred institutional policies. Primary outcomes: proportion reporting social media use for medical education and for professional networking; mean attitude scores (5-point Likert) for perceived usefulness, trustworthiness, and professionalism risk. Statistical tests: chi-square for categorical comparisons, ANOVA/Kruskal-Wallis for Likert scores, and logistic regression adjusting for age, role, and prior formal training.
Results: (Illustrative simulated example — clearly labeled) Among 250 respondents, 80% reported using social media daily, 68% used it for medical education, and 45% used it for professional networking. MBBS students/interns reported higher educational use (78%) compared with nursing students (66%) and paramedical staff (58%). Mean perceived usefulness score for education was 3.9/5 (SD 0.8). Major concerns were misinformation (74%) and breach of patient confidentiality (61%). A majority (67%) supported institutional guidance/training on professional social media use.
Conclusions: Social media is widely used among health trainees and staff for educational purposes; however, concerns about misinformation and professionalism persist. Institutional training and clear policies are recommended to harness benefits while reducing risks.