Influenced: Exploring the Effect of Social Media on Medical Students' Perceptions of Plastic Surgery.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Medical students rarely receive dedicated education in plastic surgery, exposing them to influence from the internet or television programming that is frequently skewed toward cosmetic procedures. Additionally, social media posts from board-certified plastic surgeons make up a small portion of available content. These biased representations may impact students' perceptions, narrowing the scope of referrals and limiting career exploration.

Methods

Medical students at two academic medical centers were surveyed. Blinded data were collected on exposure to plastic surgery, social media usage, observed content, and perceptions of the specialty. Students' understanding of plastic surgery was evaluated using clinical scenarios.

Results

The response rate was 24.3%.

SUBMITTER: Ford A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11305763 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature