Social media: medical education's double-edged sword

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Digital Learning
• Health Equity

Background:

• Medical education is increasingly adopting social media (SoMe) platforms post-COVID.
• SoMe facilitates content creation, sharing, and social networking in educational contexts.
• The integration of SoMe in medical training requires careful examination of its educational implications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the benefits and risks of using social media in medical education.
• To analyze these aspects through the lens of established educational theories.
• To inform the adaptation of medical curricula for health equity initiatives.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and theoretical analysis of social media in medical education.
• Examination of benefits such as expert accessibility, mentorship, and resource sharing.
• Analysis of criticisms including superficial learning, psychological safety, and professionalism.

Main Results:

• SoMe enhances access to experts, mentorship, support networks, and global collaboration.
• Social media has spurred curriculum adaptation to address health inequities for minority ethnic individuals.
• Key risks involve superficial learning, concerns about expertise identification, psychological safety, and content ownership.

Conclusions:

• Social media presents significant opportunities for medical education, including promoting health equity.
• Addressing risks related to learning depth, user safety, and professionalism is crucial.
• The medical education community must critically evaluate and adapt to SoMe innovations proactively.