Social media has evolved into a valuable tool that can be used to educate, collaborate and advocate, and can often be a great creative outlet. It can also be the first impression you give to employers, so it’s a good idea to be intentional with your online identity. Take time to define your goals, listen to the conversation and think about how you want to present an authentic online persona.
Productive Uses for Social Media
- Health education to the public
- Promoting your practice, publications, and research
- Connecting with other physicians
- Advocating for a cause
- Growing your audience and personal brand
- Network and find new opportunities
Social Media Best Practices
- Be personal but professional
- Be aware of employer policies on social media
- Be judicious when posting about patients or a case study
- Be selective when interacting with patients
- Watch out for misinformation
- Google yourself and monitor what info about you is online
Be yourself, represent who you are. It's not just your experiences; this is not a resume ... This is a more dynamic approach to representing your experiences, your skills, your objectives, what you know, what you're interested in within a professional context.
If used correctly, LinkedIn can save you endless time and effort in finding a great new job, along with building a vast, wide-reaching network of healthcare professionals. LinkedIn’s CEO Jeff Wiener said... "Be yourself, represent who you are. It's not just your experiences; this is not a resume ... This is a more dynamic approach to representing your experiences, your skills, your objectives, what you know, what you're interested in within a professional context.”
Top ways to maximize your LinkedIn profile:
Keep your profile and picture up to date
If you want a company or recruiters to find you, add your skills, a great profile picture and update your profile regularly. The most active profiles show up at the top of search results.
Update your headline and skills
Your picture, headline and skills are the first thing people see when they conduct a LinkedIn search. Get creative with your headline – include your current objectives and interests in a way that also highlights your personality.
Seekout endorsements
You can also ask for your connections to endorse your skills – if you don’t want to ask, you can endorse someone elses skills and usually they’ll return the favor!
Highlight your recent experience and training
Add your work experience, educational institutions, certification courses, volunteer experience and more for a well-rounded profile. LinkedIn search can find key words and you never know what might stand out!
Let people know you’re available
Turn on “Interested in New Opportunities” and be specific when filling out what you’re looking for (FYI: this will not appear on your regular profile at all – it is a tool for recruiters across industries).
Connect with current and past colleagues, alumni, etc…
Connections exponentially increase your exposure and access to other connections
Don’t be a wallflower!
Post interesting and pertinent content to your profile, and interact with those in your network to gain exposure and new connections!
Twitter is a great resource for physicians online. Large groups of physicians discuss current topics, share medical tweetorials, live stream grand rounds, show off their non-medical hobbies, and so much more.
If you aren’t already active, try creating an account and expanding your world on #MedTwitter!
Choose if you would like to identify yourself, or if you would like to remain anonymous
Some physicians use Twitter as a personal brand-building platform with their real name and picture. Others prefer to remain anonymous and still participate in conversations without issue.
Some physicians add a disclaimer to their bio just to be safe: "Tweets do not constitute medical advice, and do not reflect the views of my employer."
Add a little about yourself in your bio about your professional and personal self so others see a little about you and can engage with your profile
Your specialty, clinical and non-clinical interests, hobbies, etc…
Find and follow other physicians by searching for your specialty and interests as a hashtag
Give these hashtags a try!
- MedTwitter
- HealthCare
- GrandRounds
- BurnOutBan
- ThisIsOurShot (COVID vaccine)
- PizzaMedTwitter
- ArtMedTwitter
- DocsWhoRock
- DocsWhoRead
MedEd
- MedEd
- GME
- SoMeDocs
- FIT (Fellows in training)
- FellowLife
- AcademicTwitter
- AcademicChatter
Women in Medicine
- GirlMedTwitter
- WomenInMedicine
- ILookLikeADoctor
- WIM
Cardiology
- CardioTwitter
- CardioEd
- heartfailure
- lvad
- AHF
- Epeeps (Cardiac EP)
- CVImaging
- CardiacImaging
- PreventativeCardiology
- WomensHeartHealth
- ACCWIC
- WIC
- ACCFIT
- ACCearlycareer
Critical Care & Pulmonary Disease
- CritCare
- CriticalCare
- pccm
- PulmCrit
- FOAMcc
- ICUhumor
ENT
- IamOto
- SheENT
- ENTSurgery
Internists & Hospitalists
- Twitternist
- hospitalists
- FOAMed
Nephrology
- NephPearls
- NephNotes
Neurology
- NeuroTwitter
- NeuroTwitterNetwork
- StrokeTwitter
- SleepTwitter
- BrainGang
- NeuroFam