This may interest. <http://www.palmbeachpost.com> 31e84e.jpg Social networking could haunt doctors By KIMBERLY <http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/state/epaper/2008/07/10/mailto:k [log in to unmask]> MILLER Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Thursday, July 10, 2008 The hazards of posting revealing information on social networking sites are well-known, but when it comes to medical students, even innocent quips about college shenanigans could be too much. There's just something unsettling about knowing that your doctor was a hero at "keg stands" or a member of "Physicians looking for trophy wives in training." A University of Florida study published this week in the Journal of General InternalMedicine examined the Facebook pages of 362 medical students and found information that some faculty members believe is inappropriate for future doctors. "We were a little shocked," said Lindsay Acheson Thompson, an assistant professor of general pediatrics at UF's College of Medicine, who worked on the study. "Facebooking is part of our culture, but when you are an emerging specialist in medicine, you have to realize that this is public domain that your patients can access." According to the study, which began last summer, only 37 percent of the medical students studied had set their Facebook pages to "private" so that only people they approve can see it. Students revealed sexual orientation and relationship status, posted political opinions and included photos, some of which implied excessive or hazardous drinking. Other students were members of eyebrow-raising groups such as "I should have gone to a blacker college" and "I hate medical school." "Doctors are held to a higher standard," Thompson said. "My hunch is medicine has just been a little bit behind in knowing how widespread the use of this is." UF cautions all students about putting personal information on Facebook pages. Two years ago, voluntary guidelines were issued that include tips such as "Partying and boozing probably don't qualify as hobbies and interests." Thompson said some professors are wondering whether stricter rules should apply to medical students. Besides the embarrassment of a patient seeing a doctor in a compromising position, there could be more serious legal implications. If a doctor gets sued for malpractice, a drunken Facebook photo from a college frat party could be used as evidence of a drinking problem, even if there is none, Thompson said. Greg Florenza, a second-year resident at Shands Hospital in Gainesville, said he toned down his networking pages after he was cautioned near graduation about patients or employers looking at the sites. And age, or endless residency rounds, seems to reduce social networking use. The study found that while 64 percent of medical students had public Facebook accounts, only 12 percent of resident physicians did. "I'm pretty boring, so there wasn't anything outrageous on mine," Florenza said. "But things normal people do, having a beer at a bar, it can be misinterpreted and you have to consider what your patients may think." Find this article at: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/state/epaper/2008/07/10/m1a_uf_st udy_0711.html <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> If you wish to unsubscribe from the PREMEDINFO-L List, please send an E-mail to:"[log in to unmask]". Within the body of the text, only write the following:"SIGNOFF PREMEDINFO-L".