Student Presenter(s): Moshe Bressler
Faculty Mentor: William Blazey
Department: Family Medicine
School/College: College of Osteopathic Medicine, Long Island

Social media usage, fueled by mobile technology, has grown exponentially in recent years. Currently 2.32 billion people are active Facebook users, with approximately one third of the global population connected together. This rapidly developing virtual environment provides unique opportunities and disadvantages in healthcare sector. Patients flock to the virtual web space for their healthcare needs with 39% of US patients seeking social media for health information. To this date, no studies have been conducted assessing Dermatologists perceptions of the use of social media. Our study examines current preferences, practices, and perceptions of social media usage. Practitioners must be ready to cater to these patients rising needs.

Aims:

• Assess current viewpoints prevalent amongst Dermatologists regarding the use of social media in their personal and professional practice.
• Determine social media practices and preferences amongst Dermatologists.
• Delineate demographic trends in variations of social media perceptions and usage.

Presentation Points:

• Social media can be a fun effective tool for collaboration, education, and many other uses.
• There are future challenges imposed by social media that must be addressed preemptively.
• Consumers of social media want more transparency and better selfies!

Note: This study has already passed IRB approval via Jamaica Hospital.