These Are the Perks and Pitfalls of Physicians Posting on Social Media

Being Cautious

Michael Johns, III, MD, director of the University of Southern California Voice Center in Los Angeles and Social Media Committee chair for the Triological Society, defined social media this way: “Microbits of information presented publicly, with limited context, that have the potential for wide dissemination.”

Each element of this definition, he said, says something about the potentially perilous nature of social media. “Microbits of information” means readers get only a small amount of information, not an in-depth report. “Limited context” raises the prospect for a post to be misconstrued or misrepresented. “Potential for wide dissemination” means that this misunderstanding or misrepresentation could spread far and wide. So as content producers or content consumers on social media, users have to be cautious.

“Just because you can put something into the written word, that doesn’t mean it’s true,” he said. “The information source does matter, and on social media it can come from anybody.”

While social media has the veneer of being casual, a casual approach to posting can lead to problems, he said. “When you’re writing posts, it looks and feels a lot like texting,” Dr. Johns said. “Don’t look at it that way—look at it more like poetry, where you need to be very thoughtful in how you craft what you want to say.”

“Everything that gets on the internet is forever, so remember that just because you delete a picture or post, it doesn’t mean that it goes away,” added Dr. Born. “And what you think is funny when you’re 18 isn’t necessarily funny when you’re 35.”

Romaine Johnson, MD, MPH, the panel’s moderator and associate professor of otolaryngology–head and neck surgery at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, put it this way: “One of the things that I always tell the residents and fellows is that anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of public opinion, so you should be mindful of what you say. And I think that’s true for social media.”

Everything that gets on the internet is forever. —Hayley Born, MD

Social Media Impact

Dr. Born said that social media has benefited her in her young career. “It can really help make you feel a part of the community and help you learn about the different people who are involved in your field,” she said. “I feel like I’ve gotten to know several people over the last year who I can’t wait to meet in person at the next Triological meeting.”

Dr. Villwock said a social media presence can have big impact without viral posts. “You don’t need a few million followers,” she said. “If you’re trying to make things better in your hometown or provide more education about X, Y, or Z specific pathology, those posts might not ever go viral, but they might help educate that one person who was looking for an answer and will now get the care they need.”

Dr. Villwock did add a caveat, however. “You might also want to consider setting a timer before you visit a social media site, because there are a thousand rabbit holes you can go down that aren’t productive.”