DOI: 10.1097/ACM.0b013e31820426b0
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PMID: 21270548
Issn Print: 1040-2446
Publication Date: 2011/02/01
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Excerpt
While such forums generate social capital and can help disseminate information, they can also promote misinformation and provoke anxiety amongst students. The anonymity offered by online pseudonyms permits candid discussion but limits accountability. Furthermore, individuals may test ethical boundaries when they mention proprietary information such as national board examination content. Though some sites rely on volunteers and members to moderate online content and mitigate some of these risks, others allow uncensored posting. We think it is crucial that students and medical educators be aware of the following key issues:
Like social networking sites such as Facebook, online forums for medical students represent a logical evolution of our growing technical capabilities.2 Many of the risks inherent to this new medium existed before the Internet.3 Still, medical educators should adopt a deliberate approach to responding to the challenges and opportunities presented by the digital age.
