Facebook/Myspace Pics

[Superman MD]

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Well, I already know that med school adcoms and employers alike occasionally use social networking sites to check up on their applicants (though, it is probably becoming more and more common with each passing day). While I have no pics that I am embarrassed or ashamed of, I do have pics at bars and playing beer pong and what not. I am over 21 (and was so when the pics were taken); I do have a life outside of work and school too! How conservative are these adcoms? Does anyone have any stories where they or someone they know were denied because of a bad facebook/myspace profile??

 

[robynrich]

Well, I already know that med school adcoms and employers alike occasionally use social networking sites to check up on their applicants (though, it is probably becoming more and more common with each passing day). While I have no pics that I am embarrassed or ashamed of, I do have pics at bars and playing beer pong and what not. I am over 21 (and was so when the pics were taken); I do have a life outside of work and school too! How conservative are these adcoms? Does anyone have any stories where they or someone they know were denied because of a bad facebook/myspace profile??

I'm sure someone will tell me that there is a way around this, but I don't see how anyone could see my profiles on social networking sites considering I have set them all to "private."

 

[Superman MD]

I'm sure someone will tell me that there is a way around this, but I don't see how anyone could see my profiles on social networking sites considering I have set them all to "private."

Yeah, so do i. . .but I have heard there are ways around it too. But like you, I have no clue how it could be done.

 

[Phosphorus Ylide]

On a totally unrelated note, that cupcake looks fantastic!

 

[Longshanks]

Yeah, so do i. . .but I have heard there are ways around it too. But like you, I have no clue how it could be done.

I believe they can only get around it if they are on your network, or friended to someone on your network or your own friends. Especially if its one of your own friends, and you're tagged in their pictures, they can at least go through pictures your in that are tagged with other people depending on what those people's privacy settings are. Set up your pics or anything else to friends only. Otherwise if its network only or friends of friends, then they can get around it. If that isn't good enough for you then set everything to private for the next year and detag your photos.

 

[forrealz]

How conservative are these adcoms? Does anyone have any stories where they or someone they know were denied because of a bad facebook/myspace profile??

well, this scenario isn't about medical schools but I was told to check up on people when my mentor was hiring new people to work in our lab. My mentor is actually pretty cool but when I showed him some people's pics at a party, he was like oh wow this person doesn't seem responsible. I found it ridiculous but his opinion. We were just trying to get an idea of the applicants' character, whether they were social or sociopath. It was funny that some of the applicants actually put up good things about them in their profile as if they were expecting these check-ups. We perceived these applicant as too aggressive and didn't end up selecting them.
thought I would share this little story, my bad if I bored ya'll.

 

[Bacchus]

Change your privacy settings so that only friends can see photos tagged of you. Change the photo application so that only friends can see photos.

 

[n618ft]

You guys are paranoid.

 

[droogdoc]

You guys are paranoid.

Well, I am sure they do check random people maybe. Glad I dont have to worry about that though, as I am behind the times still and haven't gotten into any of "them there new-fangled technologies".

 

[TexasTriathlete]

I was actually accepted because of my facebook pictures. They were about to reject me, but then they saw how sexy I look with my shirt off, doing a keg stand, and they sent me the acceptance instead.

 

[n618ft]

Well, I am sure they do check random people maybe. Glad I dont have to worry about that though, as I am behind the times still and haven't gotten into any of "them there new-fangled technologies".

"...I am sure... maybe." I suspect most ADCOMS are too busy to worry about facebook/myspace. I'm not saying none of them do, but the typical doctor is not very technology savy.

 

[geogil]

"...I am sure... maybe." I suspect most ADCOMS are too busy to worry about facebook/myspace. I'm not saying none of them do, but the typical doctor is not very technology savy.

Incorrect. I know for a fact that adcoms pay attention to the photos on Facebook etc.. Yeah, the faculty members might not be savvy enough or have enough time to look, but you can bet that student members of adcoms have both of those. The opportunity cost/benefit here is pretty straightforward, you can un-tag yourself and make sure things are clean, or you can risk getting dinged on your application.

On a side note, please be nice to everybody when you come to a school. You really never know who is on the adcom and who isn't (granted the dude wielding a mop probably isn't, but you never know with students.) I've known applicants to shoot themselves in the foot by being rude to a student, saying 'you're not on the adcom, so I don't really have to answer your questions', not realizing that the person they were addressing was in fact on the admissions committee. So, be nice, you don't lose anything.

 

[DrYoda]

I just keep my facebook on ultra-security lockdown.

 

[n618ft]

I've always ignored friend requests from people I don't know and especially from professors (other than one - he's cool). Nothing crazy in mine - just a couple pictures holding a beer with some colleagues and some funny halloween pictures that show I'm human and have a life. No KY wrestling or surgical lube wrestling 😀

 

[Symone]

well, this scenario isn't about medical schools but I was told to check up on people when my mentor was hiring new people to work in our lab. My mentor is actually pretty cool but when I showed him some people's pics at a party, he was like oh wow this person doesn't seem responsible. I found it ridiculous but his opinion. We were just trying to get an idea of the applicants' character, whether they were social or sociopath. It was funny that some of the applicants actually put up good things about them in their profile as if they were expecting these check-ups. We perceived these applicant as too aggressive and didn't end up selecting them.
thought I would share this little story, my bad if I bored ya'll.

Can you elaborate more on the type of profiles your mentor preferred. For example, what type of pictures did he consider social and what type of pictures did he consider sociopathic. I have my own idea, but I just want another opinion.

 

[RG73]

Can you elaborate more on the type of profiles your mentor preferred. For example, what type of pictures did he consider social and what type of pictures did he consider sociopathic. I have my own idea, but I just want another opinion.

Having once been responsible for procuring undergraduate researchers for a lab, I can tell you one thing not to do that has nothing to do with pictures. I worked in an evolutionary biology lab. A student once applied to work in the lab and I checked out the student's FB account. The student's FB interests listed "God and Jesus" and the rest of the account was Bible quotes and religiously obsessive. Now, I have no problem with anyone's religious faith--I had at one time Muslim, Jewish, Christian and atheist students all working in peace and harmony (not to mention various political affiliations). But it's probably not a good idea to apply to an evolutionary biology lab and then have a FB profile that looks like you're a young Earth creationist. I tend to suspect you're going to sabotage experiments.

The easy advice is think of it as a job interview. Whatever you cannot make private, then put your best and most professional face on to the world. So you don't advertise politics, religion, sex, drugs or drinking, or anything else that someone could find offensive or a reason to take you less seriously. Restrict personal stuff to your personal circle of friends and family, and anything else look like a responsible (and inoffensive) adult.

 

[premedinohio]

If you are that worried, just delete social networking accounts! Besides you are more likely to get viruses/malicious software while using them.

 

[Substance P]

Incorrect. I know for a fact that adcoms pay attention to the photos on Facebook etc.. Yeah, the faculty members might not be savvy enough or have enough time to look, but you can bet that student members of adcoms have both of those. The opportunity cost/benefit here is pretty straightforward, you can un-tag yourself and make sure things are clean, or you can risk getting dinged on your application.

On a side note, please be nice to everybody when you come to a school. You really never know who is on the adcom and who isn't (granted the dude wielding a mop probably isn't, but you never know with students.) I've known applicants to shoot themselves in the foot by being rude to a student, saying 'you're not on the adcom, so I don't really have to answer your questions', not realizing that the person they were addressing was in fact on the admissions committee. So, be nice, you don't lose anything.

Seriously? Who would even say this... It's a good thing he said it to someone that mattered because that guy sounds like a d-bag.


As far as networking sites go, I don't feel embarrassed about anything I have up on mine, but I do have some where I have obviously been drinking, but it was not a photo about the drinking more that drinking just happened to be there.

You guys have to put this in context, if someone sees a photo of you drinking, is it a photo centered around debauchery and alcohol or of you enjoying time with friends that just happens to have alcohol in it? If I were rejected because I had a picture of me with a drink in my hand then I can safely say that I wouldn't want to go to that school, work in that lab, or take that job anyway.

If you are still in your partying phase and have half-naked people, pics of you doing a keg stand or hitting the beer bong it might be a good idea to take those down once you start to apply for any type of professional position or school. No one is saying you can't do those things, but it's generally not a good idea to advocate them on a page that is very representative of you and your personality.

 

[Symone]

Having once been responsible for procuring undergraduate researchers for a lab, I can tell you one thing not to do that has nothing to do with pictures. I worked in an evolutionary biology lab. A student once applied to work in the lab and I checked out the student's FB account. The student's FB interests listed "God and Jesus" and the rest of the account was Bible quotes and religiously obsessive. Now, I have no problem with anyone's religious faith--I had at one time Muslim, Jewish, Christian and atheist students all working in peace and harmony (not to mention various political affiliations). But it's probably not a good idea to apply to an evolutionary biology lab and then have a FB profile that looks like you're a young Earth creationist. I tend to suspect you're going to sabotage experiments.

The easy advice is think of it as a job interview. Whatever you cannot make private, then put your best and most professional face on to the world. So you don't advertise politics, religion, sex, drugs or drinking, or anything else that someone could find offensive or a reason to take you less seriously. Restrict personal stuff to your personal circle of friends and family, and anything else look like a responsible (and inoffensive) adult.

Thanks!

 

[MarieMarie]

Yeah, so do i. . .but I have heard there are ways around it too. But like you, I have no clue how it could be done.

I know a few years ago I heard a rumor about Facebook granting/selling "god" accounts that can view everything. I have no idea if it's true and I don't even remember where I heard it. Facebook is kind of sleazy though, so I wouldn't be surprised.