Social media has taken off with the younger segment of the population and anyone who has gotten the dreaded Facebook friend request from a parent understands that its usage is expanding across the population.
One medical student makes the case on
KevinMD.com that social media usage makes her a better doctor – specifically the use of Twitter.
Brittany Chan, who originally wrote her piece on her own blog,
iMedicalApps.com, suggest four positive professional outcomes from being active on Twitter, including staying up to date on the latest news and literature, idea sharing, patient assistance and the fun that comes from learning and exchanging information in real time.
She was quick to clarify, and rightly so, that when she talks about patient assistance she is not referring to actual patient care, but instead sharing articles and information on things such as vaccinations from organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).