Investigating the Use of Social Networking Tools Among Medical Students

Abstract

Background : Social networking tools are often used in medical education to facilitate teaching, owing to their popularity amongst medical students. This study aimed to determine which tools are most widely used by medical students, particularly for educational purposes, to inform future implementation in medical education. Methods : Preclerkship University of Ottawa medical students were surveyed (response rate n=65/325) regarding the use of social networking tools, including Facebook ® , Twitter ® , YouTube ® , Google+ ® , Skype ® , text messaging, blogs, Flickr ® and Pinterest ® . Results : Overall, 85% of respondents use social networking tools for 2 or more hours a day. The tools utilized most frequently on a daily and weekly basis were Facebook (56%) and YouTube ® (40%), respectively. Facebook ® (53%) and YouTube ® (31%) were the most popular tools used specifically for educational purposes, facilitating learning related to lectures and physician skills development, respectively. Conclusion : The majority of students are using social networking tools, but there is some variability in how the tools are used. The variability should be considered when creating educational initiatives.