Changing facebook name

[IndigoBoy0]

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I know this has been discussed here:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=856295

but I am interested on the current thinking as this was two years ago.

It seems like I am the ONLY one in my class who has not changed their FB name for residency season. People have concocted all sorts of things ranging from their initials to phonemic spellings of the name. I have applied for jobs before as I have had a real life before med school and haven't encountered a problem. Is this necessary? I am beginning to think I am the only one not doing this.

Thoughts?

 

[ferroportin]

I know this has been discussed here:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=856295

but I am interested on the current thinking as this was two years ago.

It seems like I am the ONLY one in my class who has not changed their FB name for residency season. People have concocted all sorts of things ranging from their initials to phonemic spellings of the name. I have applied for jobs before as I have had a real life before med school and haven't encountered a problem. Is this necessary? I am beginning to think I am the only one not doing this.

Thoughts?

Depends partly on what's on your page. But I have little in the way of embarrassing / potentially detrimental material, and I still did the name change. I just don't feel that my FB content is relevant to anything I do professionally, so I would rather not have the two worlds intersect.

I've heard some wild stories when it comes to corporate employment, including firms hiring security companies to hack into people's FB accounts, or making them release their passwords to all their social media accounts as a condition of employment. I doubt the NRMP / programs would do anything so drastic or horrendous, but the precedent is out there.

 

[Winged Scapula]

If you have your privacy settings appropriate configured, there should be no reason to have to change your name.

But medical students are a whole new level of paranoid.

THAT hasn't changed.

 

[Stellar Clouds]

I know this has been discussed here:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=856295

but I am interested on the current thinking as this was two years ago.

It seems like I am the ONLY one in my class who has not changed their FB name for residency season. People have concocted all sorts of things ranging from their initials to phonemic spellings of the name. I have applied for jobs before as I have had a real life before med school and haven't encountered a problem. Is this necessary? I am beginning to think I am the only one not doing this.

Thoughts?

Don't worry. I never changed my facebook name during interview season. My security settings were such that you could only see my name and profile picture if you weren't my friend. Even if they could have seen more, it wouldn't have been detrimental...I don't have obviously stupid things on my FB.

P.S. try to let the paranoia subside.

 

[KnuxNole]

If you have your privacy settings appropriate configured, there should be no reason to have to change your name.

But medical students are a whole new level of paranoid.

THAT hasn't changed.

This.

If it's private, you are golden. There are some REAL paranoid people that will claim it's possible to hack into your account, bypass stuff etc. If you find those people, go to the grocery, buy a large fish, and smack them as much as possible.

 

[Siggy]

This.

If it's private, you are golden. There are some REAL paranoid people that will claim it's possible to hack into your account, bypass stuff etc. If you find those people, go to the grocery, buy a large fish, and smack them as much as possible.

I have no doubt that it's possible to bypass the privacy settings or "hack" Facebook.

I have no doubt that most, if not all, residency programs lack the time to engage in such shenanigans.

 

[KnuxNole]

I have no doubt that it's possible to bypass the privacy settings or "hack" Facebook.

I have no doubt that most, if not all, residency programs lack the time to engage in such shenanigans.

Key thing right here. Sure, the PC might do a search on the applicants that have accepted interview invites for curiosity reasons and/or if they can find red flags with an easy Google search. However, they aren't going to go to great lengths.

 

[Ronin786]

Making sure your FB has nothing incriminating in the first place is the first step. Then fix your privacy settings.

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

Making sure your FB has nothing incriminating in the first place is the first step. Then fix your privacy settings.

Agreed.

Once you hit residency, and particularly practice, your social media presence becomes intertwined with your professional identity. If you have a facebook page, twitter feed, instagram, etc, you need to operate under the assumption that it is publicly identifiable and permanently linked to you.

I don't recommend students go to extreme lengths to try and hide their ID with name changes, but rather that they (a) make sure their social media accounts are professional and (b) amp up their privacy settings.

 

[killerleaf]

Your best bet: Go to Google, and google your name. What pops up? Anything not appropriate? Then make your decision as to what you do with your accounts.

You would be surprised at some of the things that show after a simple search--because remember, your so called friends will tag you in all the pictures....of spring break, "that one night" and the morning after, as well as graduation and their wedding.