Having a Facebook

[musicalfeet]

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Okay before anyone wants to make fun of me for being a dinosaur...I HAD a facebook in college and deleted it afterwards during a rough time when I was doing some soul-searching. I didn't want other people knowing what was going on, or anyone asking me what was going on, so I dropped off the "face of the planet".

Now, I am wondering if it's useful to have a FB during med school..it seems like a lot of students share news, study materials, events, etc with each other through Facebook rather than email! I've been a bit lazy in terms of keeping up with social media, so I'm wondering whether or not I should start/re-start my facebook.

Med students! What are your experiences 🙂

 

[SMN91]

its a good way to connect with your peers in med school

 

[Scarlet Spider]

My class exchanges a lot of information related to school through facebook.

 

[Glandzburg]

Our class primarily communicates and sends out invites for social gatherings via Facebook.

 

[BluMist]

I've deactivate my account for a while now; I don't miss it.
However, if I end up going to a OOS school in a new environment, I might reconsider.

Our class primarily communicates and sends out invites for social gatherings via Facebook.

 

[LizzyM]

Do keep in mind that you can categorize your Facebook friends into friends, family, etc and you can specify who sees what. You might want to limit what you share with the world (public) and what you share just within your more intimate group of friends and classmates. Don't put your personal life out there where patients and their families might see it if they Google you and they might Google you.

 

[ivorypearls]

I deactivated my Facebook right after graduating from college. At first was a temporary thing to minimize distractions while I was sorting out personal things in my life. Now I find it liberating and I'm not quite sure if I want to ever reactivate the account

 

[Glandzburg]

You don't NEED a Facebook account but, you may feel out of the loop about some social events if people aren't talking about them at school. Deactivating it because you can't stop yourself from checking it every 5 minutes is a whole different issue. It's a key part of networking in today's society, like it or not.

EDIT: My point is that you don't have to use it to update the world about all of the goings-on in your life, but at the bare minimum it is helpful to use as a sort of "email" platform for networking and communication.

 

[operaman]

Definitely helpful in med school. I would add the caveat to be careful about what you post and possibly delete the account during fourth year until match day as programs most definitely will look for it.

 

[along900]

I don't understand why everyone deletes their account. If you just make sure your security settings won't allow non-friends to view anything on your profile, then all a school could see is your profile picture.

 

[mimelim]

Do keep in mind that you can categorize your Facebook friends into friends, family, etc and you can specify who sees what. You might want to limit what you share with the world (public) and what you share just within your more intimate group of friends and classmates. Don't put your personal life out there where patients and their families might see it if they Google you and they might Google you.

I disagree with this. You shouldn't put anything on the internet that you wouldn't be okay with the world knowing. Privacy settings changes, mistakes are made and even if you aren't the one that made the mistake, you can easily become the person that pays the price. If you aren't okay with your boss and/or future employers/adcoms seeing something, probably shouldn't be on the internet.

I think that it is a mistake to think that you can segregate what certain people will end up seeing by using privacy settings.

 

[operaman]

I don't understand why everyone deletes their account. If you just make sure your security settings won't allow non-friends to view anything on your profile, then all a school could see is your profile picture.

Well so far I've yet to see a profile we couldn't find even with all the privacy stuff and even those who changed their names. There are also other sites that archive a lot of the social media info so nothing you post will ever truly be deleted. On that note, I will offer a prayer of thanks that Facebook and smartphones didn't exist when I was in undergrad...

 

[Psai]

It's useful to have if you want to read what other people say. It's very easy to say things that you will regret later though

 

[musicalfeet]

Would you guys say it makes it easier to access shared study materials between students? On all my interviews, students constantly say how they share practice exams, study guides, etc through facebook rather than email. (This is honestly the only reason why I am considering re-instating mine)

 

[Glandzburg]

Would you guys say it makes it easier to access shared study materials between students? On all my interviews, students constantly say how they share practice exams, study guides, etc through facebook rather than email. (This is honestly the only reason why I am considering re-instating mine)

We share out materials via a google drive, but the information on how to access the drive was shared via Facebook. So Facebook is not required to gain access directly, but you would have to ask a classmate to give you the info.

 

[Glandzburg]

Many schools also make Facebook groups for accepted students before matriculation, and the group was a central place for people to communicate about living arrangements and find roommates. It was also a way to arrange social gatherings for people that were in town in the weeks before school started. Without Facebook, you'd be missing out on all these things.

 

[Ismet]

Well so far I've yet to see a profile we couldn't find even with all the privacy stuff and even those who changed their names. There are also other sites that archive a lot of the social media info so nothing you post will ever truly be deleted. On that note, I will offer a prayer of thanks that Facebook and smartphones didn't exist when I was in undergrad...

Exactly, I don't understand why people change their names on FB for residency application season. Things are archived and cached, if your name is in your FB URL you can be found that way, and you can be found by your email address.

I have my privacy settings "to the max" but that means nothing on the internet. There's nothing on my FB page that I wouldn't want being seen by programs.

To the OP, my class communicates primarily via FB. Less so now that we're 4th years, but we still use it to advertise events and helpful tips for interview season and stuff. It was essential in 1st and 2nd year as people would post study guides and helpful links. Only a couple people in the class didn't have FB, and a few of us would email them pertinent or super helpful things that they were missing out on. You don't need it, but it's quite helpful.

 

[ortnakas]

Many schools also make Facebook groups for accepted students before matriculation, and the group was a central place for people to communicate about living arrangements and find roommates. It was also a way to arrange social gatherings for people that were in town in the weeks before school started. Without Facebook, you'd be missing out on all these things.

Same at my school. We mostly use email, dropbox google drive for sharing academic stuff, but I think the people who don't have Facebook feel a bit left out of the social aspect. And missed out on buying cheap books from third years the summer before matriculation.

 

[Fastrada]

Exactly, I don't understand why people change their names on FB for residency application season. Things are archived and cached, if your name is in your FB URL you can be found that way, and you can be found by your email address.

I have my privacy settings "to the max" but that means nothing on the internet. There's nothing on my FB page that I wouldn't want being seen by programs.

To the OP, my class communicates primarily via FB. Less so now that we're 4th years, but we still use it to advertise events and helpful tips for interview season and stuff. It was essential in 1st and 2nd year as people would post study guides and helpful links. Only a couple people in the class didn't have FB, and a few of us would email them pertinent or super helpful things that they were missing out on. You don't need it, but it's quite helpful.

Meh, my dad worked with computer tracking stuff in the Marines, so he raised us to be paranoid/I needed to learn to hide from him watching me on the internet as best I could. I changed my fb name for the application season (even though I should have been unsearchable before), I use a burner email, all my fb pics are only on fb and therefore not reverse image searchable unless you've already have access to my fb page, there are at least 20 other people with my name on fb, I manually delete stuff at the end of the year, etc. And nothing comes up on google about me except my linkedin and lab websites. There are probably ways to find my stuff, but you'd have to do some work for it (and there is nothing exciting anyways).

Edit: So it is possible to hide your stuff for the most part. Hahaha, now I feel like a crazy person

 

[LizzyM]

I disagree with this. You shouldn't put anything on the internet that you wouldn't be okay with the world knowing. Privacy settings changes, mistakes are made and even if you aren't the one that made the mistake, you can easily become the person that pays the price. If you aren't okay with your boss and/or future employers/adcoms seeing something, probably shouldn't be on the internet.

I think that it is a mistake to think that you can segregate what certain people will end up seeing by using privacy settings.

Good heavens! I was thinking of things that I might share with friends but not the public being things like my kids in Halloween costumes or my brother's birthday cake... things you might share among friends but that aren't anything of any interest to the whole world-- but certainly not shameful or embarrassing.

 

[rilte4]

Exactly, I don't understand why people change their names on FB for residency application season. Things are archived and cached, if your name is in your FB URL you can be found that way, and you can be found by your email address.

I think the FB name change when applying for residency is done more as a rite of passage these days. The folks I know change their name publicly for the laughs, but jack up their privacy settings to actually get the job done.

Meh, my dad worked with computer tracking stuff in the Marines, so he raised us to be paranoid/I needed to learn to hide from him watching me on the internet as best I could. I changed my fb name for the application season (even though I should have been unsearchable before), I use a burner email, all my fb pics are only on fb and therefore not reverse image searchable unless you've already have access to my fb page, there are at least 20 other people with my name on fb, I manually delete stuff at the end of the year, etc. And nothing comes up on google about me except my linkedin and lab websites. There are probably ways to find my stuff, but you'd have to do some work for it (and there is nothing exciting anyways).

Edit: So it is possible to hide your stuff for the most part. Hahaha, now I feel like a crazy person

I thought I was a private person.

 

[Ismet]

I think the FB name change when applying for residency is done more as a rite of passage these days. The folks I know change their name publicly for the laughs, but jack up their privacy settings to actually get the job done.

I do enjoy the funny names.

 

[musicalfeet]

Bumping....

So I've been telling myself that I'd get one again once I had been accepted to an MD school..and since that's happened, it's time to make one! I don't know if I have trigger anxiety or something, but now my paranoid brain is afraid people will post pictures of me that I don't want up there, or write stuff on my wall that's inappropriate or anything. Does anyone have a problem with that? Or is there any way to prevent people from tagging you in photos and stuff?

 

[Lawpy]

Bumping....

So I've been telling myself that I'd get one again once I had been accepted to an MD school..and since that's happened, it's time to make one! I don't know if I have trigger anxiety or something, but now my paranoid brain is afraid people will post pictures of me that I don't want up there, or write stuff on my wall that's inappropriate or anything. Does anyone have a problem with that? Or is there any way to prevent people from tagging you in photos and stuff?

Unfriend them?

 

[familyaerospace]

My school shares a lot of study material in our Facebook group.

 

[Meeehai]

but now my paranoid brain is afraid people will post pictures of me that I don't want up there

Like what kinds of pictures?

 

[RuggerMD]

Bumping....

So I've been telling myself that I'd get one again once I had been accepted to an MD school..and since that's happened, it's time to make one! I don't know if I have trigger anxiety or something, but now my paranoid brain is afraid people will post pictures of me that I don't want up there, or write stuff on my wall that's inappropriate or anything. Does anyone have a problem with that? Or is there any way to prevent people from tagging you in photos and stuff?

I have mine set so that I have to approve all tags. Nothing gets posted on my page without me seeing it first. It is pretty easy to do.

 

[musicalfeet]

Like what kinds of pictures?

Anything? Call me crazy, but I don't like pictures of me posted up in general; if I'm going to have a picture online, it better be something I approved of and took knowing it was being taken...

 

[Meeehai]

Anything? Call me crazy, but I don't like pictures of me posted up in general; if I'm going to have a picture online, it better be something I approved of and took knowing it was being taken...

I mean it just kinda seemed like you were scared of showing that you have a social life. Unless its pics of you doing coke off an adult film actresses butt I think you're fine.

 

[LizzyM]

Bumping....

So I've been telling myself that I'd get one again once I had been accepted to an MD school..and since that's happened, it's time to make one! I don't know if I have trigger anxiety or something, but now my paranoid brain is afraid people will post pictures of me that I don't want up there, or write stuff on my wall that's inappropriate or anything. Does anyone have a problem with that? Or is there any way to prevent people from tagging you in photos and stuff?

You can set your settings so that people can't post anything on your wall at all (my husband has that setting) or that you have to approve anything posted to your wall (my setting). You can also make it so that no one can tag you in a photo without triggering an announcement to you and giving you the ability to block the tag. I don't let anyone tag me in photos unless I look marvelous.

 

[musicalfeet]

You can set your settings so that people can't post anything on your wall at all (my husband has that setting) or that you have to approve anything posted to your wall (my setting). You can also make it so that no one can tag you in a photo without triggering an announcement to you and giving you the ability to block the tag. I don't let anyone tag me in photos unless I look marvelous.

LOVE IT

 

[El-Rami]

Call me old-fashioned, but I think social media is evil and should never, ever be used.

Do keep in mind that you can categorize your Facebook friends into friends, family, etc and you can specify who sees what. You might want to limit what you share with the world (public) and what you share just within your more intimate group of friends and classmates. Don't put your personal life out there where patients and their families might see it if they Google you and they might Google you.

I know people who use an alias on social media when they want to connect with friends/family.

 

[Dr Tony T. Chopper]

I make it a hobby of mine to share an interesting article from one of my news sources daily and include a brief personal comment so I can stay on top of current events and track the shift of my political, personal agenda over time.

 

[summergirl]

I had Facebook for a little while back in high school and deactivated it when I started university. I just didn't like letting a bunch of semi-strangers (most FB friends are not your close friends) or people I haven't spoke to in years get such detailed views of my life. But hey, I may reactivate FB when I get into med, just to show off

 

[jqueb29]

Call me old-fashioned, but I think social media is evil and should never, ever be used.




I know people who use an alias on social media when they want to connect with friends/family.

you are old fashioned

why are you using internet

 

[Glandzburg]

The people in my class without Facebook are missing out on so many study guides and practice problems posted directly to the group page. Get with the times!

 

[tigers2007]

Create a Facebook just for business only. I have already participated in litigation where social media was meticulously examined to smear the owner. Facebook makes 100% of its profits from exploiting the personal data that all of its members (who unknowingly but willingly transfer their personal information to Facebook). You are responsible for whatever post on the internet. So if your study group utilizes any social media services, then make a dry Facebook page with neutral and non-specific data.

 

[Glandzburg]

So if your study group utilizes any social media services, then make a dry Facebook page with neutral and non-specific data.

That's easier said than done when you have 175 classmates, half of whom are 22-23 years old. It gets a bit rowdy sometimes, but just don't be stupid.

 

[LizzyM]

That's easier said than done when you have 175 classmates, half of whom are 22-23 years old. It gets a bit rowdy sometimes, but just don't be stupid.

You can post your name -- for safety's sake use your first and middle name rather than first & last, set everything else as private, and then join your med class group. The rest of the group can be as rowdy as the French Quarter at Mardi Gras but no one who knows you outside will link you to it. You can read Facebook feed without posting anything or "liking" anything. My mother's 86 year old cousin does that. She's perfectly invisible, has 9 friends, and says she enjoys seeing pictures of the grandchildren.