Do program directors really care about facebook?

[beardpapa]

I've seen many of my friends change their name on facebook during the interview season due to the fear that anything incriminating may affect their chances for residency. I've actually heard one program director on a residency panel at my university say that they do, in fact, do a quick search online about candidates. But how common is this really and do you think all these name changes are really warranted?

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[mlw03]

No way to know. imagine some do. Don't post pics of yourself doing a kegstand.

 

[Law2Doc]

I've seen many of my friends change their name on facebook during the interview season due to the fear that anything incriminating may affect their chances for residency. I've actually heard one program director on a residency panel at my university say that they do, in fact, do a quick search online about candidates. But how common is this really and do you think all these name changes are really warranted?

I think a relatively small number look at Facebook, but all it takes is one to tank what could have been a dream residency. Probably not a bad idea to remove those partially clad alcohol and drug related pics until you are done with fellowship.

 

[coldleg]

A lot of people in my class have changed their name, but I think it's overkill. If you're really worried, just change your privacy settings to lock down mode. Just make your profile private, and that way no one can see anything you dont want them too, unless you specify. There's no reason to make everything "public" anyway.

 

[turkeyjerky]

My home programs PD talked about this at an info session. He said he doesn't personally google applicants but that he knows of numerous programs that do. He also said that sometimes someone'll just come across something and he's made aware of it, in which case he's forced to take it into account.

I wouldn't bother changing your Facebook name, I think it's easier just to max out the privacy settings, or just temporally delete your account.

 

[smq123]

It doesn't really stop once you become a resident, either. Residents have been put on probation or even terminated for the content of their blogs and Facebook pages.

Plus, patients will search for you. One of my friends had a patient post a medication refill request on his Facebook page ("it takes too long when I call the office; I figured this would be more convenient for both of us" ). Another resident at a different program had a patient's brother look her up on FB and send her a message asking her out on a date. A little creepy, to say the least.

 

[2012mdc]

My home programs PD talked about this at an info session. He said he doesn't personally google applicants but that he knows of numerous programs that do. He also said that sometimes someone'll just come across something and he's made aware of it, in which case he's forced to take it into account.

I wouldn't bother changing your Facebook name, I think it's easier just to max out the privacy settings, or just temporally delete your account.

I actually created a new facebook page a few months back and really cut down my friends list and got rid of acquaintances. Facebook is useful for me to keep in contact/up to date with close friends and family. The newer account doesn't have any questionable statuses/links/photos and I plan to keep it through residency. It was time to have a more professional online presence anyway.

 

[docu]

some of my PDs and attendings are actually on facebook, i friended a few. they are pretty cool, but some aren't, so just set your privacy settings to "friends only" then no one else can look at it as far as i know.

 

[bestcoast]

A couple told me that they do look at Facebook accounts.


Just untag yourself from all questionable pics.
For my account profile pic, I spent an hr editing the cigarette out of my mouth (used to smoke) because the pic itself is too epic not to post and I have been complimented by attendings and residents on the epicness of the pic =P.

 

[Tired Pigeon]

When we have our rank meeting (includes PD, other attendings, and current residents/fellows), it's not unheard of for someone to mention an applicant's FB page. More commonly it's residents, but I've also seen our PD and a couple other attendings do this as well. Usually it only gets brought up if there's something kind of questionable, and the context is whether the applicant is demonstrating "poor judgment" by posting it.

In other words, for most applicants it never gets mentioned, but in a few cases it clearly works against people. Never seen anyone in our rank meeting mention anything on FB that made a candidate seem like a better or stronger applicant.

The privacy settings are important, but not the whole answer. In some cases the applicant had FB friended one or more of the residents during the interview season, or maybe while doing a sub-I here, so the undesirable information wasn't really that well-protected. I guess just assume that anything you put on FB has the potential to be looked at by a PD, so post accordingly.

 

[turkeyjerky]

When we have our rank meeting (includes PD, other attendings, and current residents/fellows), it's not unheard of for someone to mention an applicant's FB page. More commonly it's residents, but I've also seen our PD and a couple other attendings do this as well. Usually it only gets brought up if there's something kind of questionable, and the context is whether the applicant is demonstrating "poor judgment" by posting it.

In other words, for most applicants it never gets mentioned, but in a few cases it clearly works against people. Never seen anyone in our rank meeting mention anything on FB that made a candidate seem like a better or stronger applicant.

The privacy settings are important, but not the whole answer. In some cases the applicant had FB friended one or more of the residents during the interview season, or maybe while doing a sub-I here, so the undesirable information wasn't really that well-protected. I guess just assume that anything you put on FB has the potential to be looked at by a PD, so post accordingly.

That's why you shouldn't facebook any residents--god, what an idiot.

 

[Buzz Me]

Definitely be wary of what you post on your Facebook.

 

[bestcoast]

That's why you shouldn't facebook any residents--god, what an idiot.

I have no sympathy for those who just keep adding friends on FB for no good reason. Especially those who think adding "residents" as friends would give them such a boost in success.

Remember, sure it's important to be friendly during the interviews, but it's also important to make sure that you don't go overboard with it (ie. adding all the residents on FB after having a small chitchat with them....) That might come back and bite you in the ass.

 

[Doublecortin]

I've seen many of my friends change their name on facebook during the interview season due to the fear that anything incriminating may affect their chances for residency. I've actually heard one program director on a residency panel at my university say that they do, in fact, do a quick search online about candidates. But how common is this really and do you think all these name changes are really warranted?

I don't know about other people, but I think it's super lame.

 

[wannabeOBGYN]

I don't know about other people, but I think it's super lame.

I agree. I always want to comment on these people's walls with, "Hey, how about instead of changing your name to something ridiculous, you just stop posting inappropriate pictures?"

 

[OlderMDAlmost]

One Family Medicine Residency program in their criteria for selection for interview states:

"8) Lack of felony conviction or negative information on internet (Google, Facebook, Myspace, etc…)"

 

[Samoa]

What if you have the same name as someone who does something fairly embarrassing for a living, and the first 20 pages of google are all about that person? And to make it worse, they have similar demographics (age, hair/eye color etc). It's a close enough resemblance that I was asked in an interview once if I'd ever done such a thing.

 

[adagio]

@Samoa,

A very valid concern! I agree

 

[Buzz Me]

I agree. I always want to comment on these people's walls with, "Hey, how about instead of changing your name to something ridiculous, you just stop posting inappropriate pictures?"

Because for many people, the whole point of posting pictures is to show how "cool/normal/hip/fun/outgoing" they are:

(1) Pictures when they're drunk
(2) Pictures when they're clearly in a bar, or at a party, or in a club, or holding an alcoholic beverage
(3) Pictures when they're doing something fun and wild and exotic on vacation (snowboarding, ziplining, water-skiing, etc.)
(4) Pictures when they're posing near famous, easily-recognizable monuments (e.g. the pyramids, or the Eiffel Tower, or the Leaning Tower of Pisa)

 

[wannabeOBGYN]

Because for many people, the whole point of posting pictures is to show how "cool/normal/hip/fun/outgoing" they are:

(1) Pictures when they're drunk
(2) Pictures when they're clearly in a bar, or at a party, or in a club, or holding an alcoholic beverage
(3) Pictures when they're doing something fun and wild and exotic on vacation (snowboarding, ziplining, water-skiing, etc.)
(4) Pictures when they're posing near famous, easily-recognizable monuments (e.g. the pyramids, or the Eiffel Tower, or the Leaning Tower of Pisa)

I don't think there's anything wrong with 3 or 4, it's 1 and 2 that are ridiculous.