When Faced With Facebook: What Role Should Social Media Play in Selecting Residents?

Abstract

Facebook, the most widely used application of online social media, reached its 10-year anniversary with over a billion current users.1 This astronomical number of users reflects the widespread appeal of digitally sharing our personal lives, and prospective employers and admissions officers are now capitalizing on the popularity of social media. Profiles on social networking sites (SNS) such as Facebook, where users share thoughts and experiences, photos, videos, and other media, and endorse other users' content, are visible to the public in varying degrees and can therefore offer searchers a glimpse of applicants' online behavior. It is estimated that 19% to 31% of collegiate admissions officers currently vet applicants through online searches,2,3 while nearly half of employers may do so.4 Data are more sparse regarding medical schools and residency programs but suggest that searches with SNS are already a considerable tool for evaluating candidates. A survey of program directors in surgical specialties found that 17% screened applicants by using SNS, and 33% of this group gave lower rankings to applicants based on SNS content.5 In contrast, a study of more general Google searches with program directors in emergency medicine demonstrated little consequence to applicants' standings.6