By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    healthcare cybersecurity
    4 Helpful Tips on How to Protect Your Medical Practice Against Cyber Attacks
    October 24, 2021
    Health Check Diagnosis Medical Condition Analysis Concept
    6 Health Woes With Online Remedies
    January 19, 2022
    Eight Things Men Should Know About the Male Menopause
    Eight Things Men Should Know About the Male Menopause
    April 24, 2022
    Latest News
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
    The Best Home Remedies for Migraines
    June 5, 2025
    The Hidden Impact Of Stress On Your Body’s Alignment And Balance
    May 22, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    healthy nursing school habits
    Healthy Habits for Nursing Student Nursing School Students
    May 24, 2024
    High Deductables
    High-Deductible Insurance and Rising Bad Debt
    July 24, 2015
    How People Are Taking Advantage of Health Deals in the Recent Recession
    February 5, 2021
    Latest News
    Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
    June 25, 2025
    When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
    June 20, 2025
    Preventing Contamination In Healthcare Facilities Starts With Hygiene
    June 15, 2025
    Strengthening Healthcare Systems Through Clinical and Administrative Career Development
    June 13, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Applying to Medical School – Do You Know What Your Digital Footprint Looks Like?
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Medical Education > Applying to Medical School – Do You Know What Your Digital Footprint Looks Like?
Medical EducationSocial Media

Applying to Medical School – Do You Know What Your Digital Footprint Looks Like?

Colleen Young
Last updated: April 22, 2013 8:49 am
Colleen Young
Share
5 Min Read
SHARE

This week Dr. Rajiv Singal, Head of Urology at Toronto East General Hospital, takes the #hcsmca moderator’s seat. Enter your name into an online search engine – do you know what the search will return? If you intend to apply for medical school, Rajiv explains why you should know the answer to that question.

By Rajiv Singal (@DrRKSingal)

This week Dr. Rajiv Singal, Head of Urology at Toronto East General Hospital, takes the #hcsmca moderator’s seat. Enter your name into an online search engine – do you know what the search will return? If you intend to apply for medical school, Rajiv explains why you should know the answer to that question.

By Rajiv Singal (@DrRKSingal)

More Read

pharmphorum Facebook and healthcare
Is Facebook the Next Big Thing in Healthcare?
Improving the Health of At-Risk Populations
Beyond the Buzz: 35 Success Strategies for Healthcare Social Media in 2015
Self-Diagnosis: Finding Reliable Healthcare Resources Online
Doctors and Social Media – Two Photos Which Could Prompt State Boards to Investigate

Image of Dr Rajiv SingalThere has been much debate about how physicians should adapt to the digital world. The obvious benefits of online information exchange and networking have to be considered in the context of maintaining the private and very intimate nature of the patient-physician relationship. In my view, physicians have always been public figures. We care for the public and conduct our business in public institutions. I am always aware that every new patient sizes me up at our first encounter. It starts even before their consult. They observe how I interact with others in the waiting room and likely make a preliminary judgment about my character. That first impression matters in the moments before I actually introduce myself.

While we all strive for that elusive work-life balance, it is increasingly difficult to separate our personal and public personas. Anyone can walk into my office, listen to me at a hospital fundraiser or potentially hear at a coffee shop from another person whether I treated someone well or not. As we adopt social media, the signatures of our conduct become magnified.Image

Getting into medical school has always been very competitive. According to a blog post Medical School Admissions: Striving for fairness despite “ill-designed” tools by Anthony Sanfilippo, the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Medical Education at Queen’s University Medical School, they received 3818 applicants for 100 spots this year. How does one choose? With so many bright, young people trying to enter medicine, it is difficult to decide who is worthy. It’s probable that out of every ten people with a 3.9+ GPA and widely diverse interests and only one will be lucky, leaving 9 disappointed and dreams shattered. Dr Sanfilippo’s account of the fictional Jessica and Matt illustrates this well. Yes, we train great physicians, but which superstars are we unknowingly excluding?

With this in mind there is a sense that maybe other criteria need to be considered in evaluating medical school applicants. Again Dr Sanfilippo offers some thoughts worth reading in his blog post Medical School Admissions: Unintended Consequences.

As people lead lives that increasingly include online communications and networking some have started to ask whether we should be looking at the digital signature or footprint medical school applicants. Will this shed light on strengths and noble endeavors that may not be apparent on ‘paper’? Perhaps expose character traits that may best be left outside of the medical profession?

I am not sure where the answer lies but I am certain that physicians occupy an important place in the public trust and how we conduct ourselves at all times on- and off-line must be worthy of the highest standards of the profession.

For the evening #hcsmca chat on April 24 (9pm ET), I recommend reading this blog post by Bryan Vartabedian, MD Assessing Med School Applicants’ Digital Footprints. In it @Doctor_V sets the stage for our discussion.

I leave you with these questions to consider:

  • T1: Who is currently using an assessment of digital footprints to assess medical school applicants?
  • T2: How can digital footprint assessment be developed to optimize this medical school selection process in a positive and meaningful way.
  • T3: Can this be extended to post graduate medical education programs?

I look forward to seeing you Twitter on April 24, 2013 at 9pm ET for #hcsmca.

image:HCSM/shutterstock
 

TAGGED:digital footprint
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

women dental care
What Is a Smile Makeover and How Much Does It Cost?
Dental health
June 30, 2025
HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps
Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
Global Healthcare Policy & Law Technology
June 25, 2025
recovering from injury
Rebuilding After Injury: Path to Physical and Emotional Recovery
News
June 22, 2025
scientist using microscope
When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
Global Healthcare
June 18, 2025

You Might also Like

career in medical field
CareerMedical Education

Can Online Degrees Launch Your Career in Top Medical Fields?

June 18, 2024
Teeth Whitening Tetracycline staining
Medical EducationWellness

Can Cosmetic Dentistry Fix Tetracycline Staining?

December 6, 2012

HealthCare Social Media Legal Issues: Recent NLRB Cases

February 8, 2013

Health Care and Social Media… The Need For TACTICAL Guidance – Video

October 27, 2011
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?