Secondary Scenario Prompt

[thehighlander]

Could use some help in brainstorming possible responses to a scenario secondary. The prompt in mind was: "While scrolling through a popular social media site, you notice an unprofessional posting by a classmate about a faculty member. You are concerned about the posting, but realize many of your peers have agreed with the negative comment. What do you do? "

Any ideas? Thanks!

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[Grace184]

For me, it would depend on the type of unprofessional posting (homophobic remarks vs making fun of his stutter, for example). Then I would probably say on the site "you do know that the faculty can find and read this? It's unbelievable you are making these remarks etc..." If it were of the homophobic nature I would turn it into administration (I feel like that's what they want to hear- not that I would agree with those comments). Basically, for me, I think it's on the scale of unprofessional (like if they hate his class vs a personal attack on him) on first making a stand, then/or deciding if administration needs to be involved

 

[deleted393595]

Easiest option: I'd privately message the guy to explain to him the consequences of his actions and to ask him to take it down. Make sure that you don't "like" or "comment" on it so that you can't be linked to what he said.

And True story - I've had to do it before to someone I knew.

 

[thehighlander]

Thanks for the responses! Definitely got me thinking.

 

[Grace184]

I do it here all the time as this is a social media place that gets looked at by many schools, though rarely do they post

Professionalism is second only to ethics for physicians. Having a criticism of a faculty member that is readily agreed to by classmates is fine. It is the lack of professionalism in expressing it that needs to be addressed. The secondary issue is if the substance of the comment warrants further action towards the faculty. Now that is a thorny conundrum.

I'm not applying allopathic/to this school- how'd I do?? If we were playing family feud would my answer be on the board??

 

[G.NA]

Our Survey Says..........

nah, Family Feud only ever goes “SURVEY SAYS…BING!"

 

[G.NA]

Which school is this, OP? must’ve been driven by a prior incident, no doubt

 

[Grace184]

Our Survey Says..........

Would an initial public posting to the comment that say many have agreed with be appropriate? How would your many classmates who you will have to work with intensely view your opposite view? And how would the professor and/or administration react to an online food fight? More importantly, what this say about as a doctor dealing with patients? Or other doctors? Or Hospital administration?

Honestly, if many of my classmates were making, Let's say, homophobic remarks about a teacher, I would say something. Someone should tell them that's not okay and I have no problem doing it. I would say my piece and be done with it- no "food fight." If it were something about his class or the way he teaches, I could care less- I wouldn't get involved. I work in a hospital and don't get involved in gossip- it actually repels me. I also know nothing said is sacred in hospital grounds so it's best left unsaid or vented to a non-involved party, like a friend who knows no one there. In regards to a patient, they can say whatever they want to me- I've heard it all. I'm like Teflon, it slides right off and I continue working. After you've done retail pharmacy for 6 years and psychiatric pharmacy for 5, nothing is offensive anymore.

 

[G.NA]

I'm like Teflon, it slides right off and I continue working

until one day the Teflon coating slides off and suddenly your sunny-side up egg won’t come off the damn pan and your morning beauty breakfast is ruined

 

[Grace184]

You would make a comment on the public forum as your first action instead of, say, approaching the classmate directly and talking about it? Perhaps he/she did not realize the tone of the comment? perhaps it might be more effective to educated the poster, have him/her make an apology, defuse an issue with the class, and prompt a discussion?

True, I could approach this user. But what about the rest of the classes' comments? Would this delete these comments? If so, for sure, I would go that route. How many classmates made comments? It implies many- too many, it seems to seek out and find. Regardless, what may have been said in one of those comments that was way off base, probably off base of the original user? If not, my professional experience as it stands makes it ethically unable to say something. I would rather my classmates dislike that I took a stand when someone couldn't say something back (that is pure bullying- something I won't tolerate amongst classmates.) Being in a class, disagreeing on something, and working with one another are key elements to maturity and growth to professionalism. I've stood up to many bully's for other people in HS, asking that they pick up their books bc they should have never been slapped out of their hands in the first place. I was prom Queen- Bc I wasn't fake and I don't do gossip.
This is coming from my insight/experience/witness in a professional school (pharmacy) AND as a professor....which I'm sure many will poke fun at. Pharmacy is a professional school and we don't play around with these matters. We've expelled people for less.

Social media is what it is...yea people don't understand the repercussions of posts but should understand their enrollment agreement.

 

[Grace184]

until one day the Teflon coating slides off and suddenly your sunny-side up egg won’t come off the damn pan and your morning beauty breakfast is ruined

I think I know what you mean....but no...when you've literally been called every obscenity or any word you never thought existed, there comes a point, when you're only listening to lab results, vitals, and current medications, no matter what type of ***** you may be that day lol

Edit: I guess what I'm trying to say is that when you do become a resident you have to deal with these things- and directly. No like ps I saw your post and....but every student is implicated. I had to pull 7 pharmacy students into my office (when I was a professor) after I read the comments made about a resident bc she was black. I have no empathy for comments such as those. They were expelled due to lack of professionalism.

 

[thehighlander]

Which school is this, OP? must’ve been driven by a prior incident, no doubt

Florida International

 

[Grace184]

I guess there is no true right answer, gonnif. All I know, is that I'm old enough to know than to be persuaded by possibly bigoted or unprofessional colleagues.