Social Media Policies in U.S. Medical Education: An Analysis of Content, Consistency, and Gaps

Abstract

Background Given the increasing prevalence and integration of social media platforms into various aspects of life, it is essential for medical schools to establish clear guidelines for their educational application and appropriate personal use. This study aims to assess the policies developed by medical schools in the United States and its territories addressing the use of social media. Methods Between June and July 2024, investigators examined the websites of all medical schools in the United States and its territories to assess their social media policies. The search involved reviewing student handbooks, policy webpages, and related websites. Specific search terms included "social media policy," "social networking policy," "social media," "social network," "social," and "media." Descriptive statistics, chi-squared analysis, and Fisher's exact tests were utilized to describe and compare the categorical variables. Results Of the 199 U.S. medical schools, 166 (85%) had a social media policy (131 allopathic (M.D.) and 35 osteopathic (D.O.) schools). Among these policies, 98 (59%) were found in student handbooks, 45 (27%) on policy webpages, and 23 (14%) on other sites, typically related to technology and student affairs. Specifically, 131 (79%) policies were categorized as dedicated social media policies, while 35 (21%) were primarily included under student professionalism and technology policies. M.D. schools were more likely to have a social media policy than D.O. schools (p < 0.001). Schools in the South were also more likely to have social media policies (37% total policies, p < 0.001). Policy evaluation found that many policies mentioned platform names that are dated, such as Twitter instead of X, or failed to include the names of newer platforms, such as TikTok. Conclusions Most U.S. medical schools have social media policies; however, some need updates to reflect evolving platforms and current student use. Updating policies to address the evolving digital landscape will ensure that guidelines remain relevant and effective in promoting professionalism in medical education.

Keywords: education; medical school; medical student; policy; social media; technology.

Figure 1. Number of social media policies created, grouped by the year of creation

This bar chart illustrates the distribution of social media policies by their year of creation. The highest number of policies (14) were created during 2019–2020, followed by 11 policies each during 2013–2014 and 2017–2018. These data highlight the trends in institutional adoption of social media policies over time.

Figure 2. Specific social media platforms mentioned by social media policies

This bar chart shows the frequency of mentions of specific social media platforms in institutional social media policies. Facebook was the most frequently mentioned platform (100 mentions, 98%), followed by Twitter (84 mentions, 82%), YouTube (72 mentions, 71%), LinkedIn (67 mentions, 66%), Instagram (66 mentions, 65%), and Snapchat (42 mentions, 41%). ‘X’ refers to the platform formerly known as Twitter.