Bryan Vartabedian, MD, always has insightful things to say about physicians' digital footprint. In a recent Wing of Zock blog entry, he shares some of the things he told incoming residents at Baylor College of Medicine about the importance of their public presence. He writes:
One concept I emphasized with this fresh batch of doctors: It’s no longer about you.
...
...Things became different when you were handed your diploma. And at that moment when you posted your status on Facebook, you became a public physician. The idea of being a physician in the public space carries significant responsibilities.
As doctors, we’re different. We’re different than our friends in marketing, sales, law, finance, and just about everything else. We carry our patients’ stories and we’re entrusted with their most intimate information. How we carry ourselves and what we do with that information before our community, patients, and peers affects our ability to be effective.
Previously: Advice for physicians when interacting with patients online, 33Charts’ Bryan Vartabedian talks about physician blogging, How can physicians manage their online persona? KevinMD offers guidance and Physician 2.0: Do doctors risk becoming irrelevant if they ignore social media?
