Incorporating a Standardized Online Professionalism Curriculum in Osteopathic Medical School

Abstract

Abstract Online social media platforms increase patients’ access to physicians, thus potentially blurring the boundaries between physicians’ professional and private lives. Although many medical organizations have established guidelines on how physicians should proceed on social media and social networking sites (SNSs), there has not been a mandated standardized curriculum on the use of social media, SNSs, and online professionalism for physicians or medical students. With the increase in physician involvement on social media and SNSs, professionalism issues can emerge. Online professionalism complaints have been increasing. Therefore, osteopathic medical students need to be taught the dangers and benefits of engaging with online media. This article seeks to address the need for mandating a standardized online professionalism curriculum for osteopathic medical students and show how a simulation-based medical education curriculum can help accomplish this goal.