A guide to online professionalism for medical practitioners and medical students
The professional standards of doctors and medical students—which are based on the expectations of the community and medical peers—form the cornerstone of quality patient care. They are taught and assessed from the first year of medical school, and are continually re-emphasised throughout medical training and practice. The Australian and New Zealand Medical Councils have widely accepted guidelines on good medical practice,1,2 and the Australian and New Zealand Medical Associations (AMA and NZMA) and the Australian Medical Students’ Association (AMSA) have developed codes of ethics for their members.3,4,5
The world to which these professional standards apply is expanding rapidly. Society has enthusiastically embraced user-generated content such as blogging, personal websites, and online social networking.6 Research shows that use of social media by the medical profession is common and growing.7,8
Although doctors and medical students are increasingly participating in online social media, evidence is emerging from studies, legal cases, and media reports that the use of these media can pose risks for medical professionals.
Inappropriate online behaviour can potentially damage personal integrity, doctor-patient and doctor-colleague relationships, and future employment opportunities. Our perceptions and regulations regarding professional behaviour must evolve to encompass these new forms of media.
The Australian Medical Association Council of Doctors-in-Training (AMACDT), the New Zealand Medical Association Doctors-in-Training Council (NZMADITC), the New Zealand Medical Students’ Association (NZMSA), and the Australian Medical Students’ Association (AMSA) are committed to upholding the principles of medical professionalism. As such, we have created some practical guidelines to assist doctors and medical students to continue to enjoy the online world, while maintaining professional standards.
Acknowledgement
This guide was developed by representatives from the AMA, NZMA, AMSA, and NZMSA, including Dr Sarah Mansfield, Dr Andrew Perry, Dr Stewart Morrison, Hugh Stephens, Sheng-Hui Wang, Dr Michael Bonning, Rob Olver and Dr Aaron Withers.
Our aim was to develop a simple guide for medical students and doctors that explores various risks posed by online social media. To achieve this, a literature review was conducted, which included an exploration of:
- existing guides to professionalism by representative organisations for the medical profession, registration authorities, and medical defense organisations;
- medical and non-medical journals in Australasia and abroad;
- items from media (eg newspaper articles);
- online discussion forums; and
- our own interactions with social media.
Where possible, we have also drawn upon real-life examples based on our own experiences and those of our colleagues.
We are very grateful to the other members and secretariats of the participating organisations who provided input. In particular, we acknowledge the generous assistance of the AMA with design and administrative support.
References
See the references below for additional information. New Zealanders may also find the Medical Council of New Zealand’s 2013 Statement on use of the internet and email communication helpful: http://www.mcnz.org.nz/assets/News-and-Publications/Statement-on-use-of-the-internet-and-electronic-communication-v2.pdf
1 Australian Medical Council. Good Medical Practice: A Code of Conduct for Doctors in Australia. Canberra: Australian Medical Council, July 2009. http://goodmedicalpractice.org.au/ code/ (accessed June 2010).
2 Medical Council of New Zealand. Good Medical Practice: A guide for doctors. Wellington: Medical Council of New Zealand, June 2008 http://www.mcnz.org.nz/portals/0/guidance/ goodmedpractice.pdf (accessed June 2010).
3 Australian Medical Association. AMA Code of Ethics – 2004. Editorially Revised 2006. Canberra: Australian Medical Association, 2006. http://www.ama.com.au/codeofethics (accessed June 2010).
4 New Zealand Medical Association. NZMA Code of Ethics. Wellington: New Zealand Medical Association, May 2008. http://www.nzma.org.nz/about/ethics.html (accessed June 2010).
5 Australian Medical Students’ Association. AMSA Code of Ethics. Canberra: Sept 2003. http://www.amsa.org.au/docs/ED/AMSA%20Code%20of%20Ethics.pdf (accessed June 2010).
6 Coffield RL, Joiner JE. Risky Business: Treating/Tweeting the Symptoms of Social Media. AHLA Connections [internet]. March 2010 [cited June 2010];14 (3):10-14. http://www.healthlawyers. org/News/Connections/CurrentIssue/Documents/2010%20Connections%20Full%20issues/ AC_March2010.pdf
7 Darves, B. Social Media and Physicians. NEJM Career Centre [internet]. March 2010 [cited October 2010]. http://www.nejmjobs.org/career-resources/social-media-and-physicians.aspx
8 Thompson LA, Dawson K, Ferdig R, et al. The intersection of online social networking with medical professionalism. J Gen Intern Med 2008;23:954–7.
