You’re young and technically inexperienced, and I’d be willing to guess you’ve been conditioned to believe this is a weakness. But what if I told you if you play your cards right, you can make this work to your advantage? Technology and social media are constantly evolving and we not only are the first to know about it, but we are the ones who rule this digital world. So what does this have to do with healthcare?
Contrary to popular belief, the internet isn’t just a place to find out about the newest fashion trends, communicate with your friends, or find the best filter for your Insta selfies; it is a tool that can be utilized to share important information, innovative ideas, and collaborate with other professionals in your field. Some physicians use social media professionally to find and share health information, communicate and network with colleagues and trainees, disseminate their research, market their practice, or engage in health advocacy.2
I’m not saying in order to become successful you need to stop sending your friends dog filtered Snapchats; but what I am saying is this: it has never been easier, trendier, or more convenient to become knowledgeable in your field, prepare for a successful future, or enhance your professional networking than it is right now.
Throughout my personal, volunteer, shadow, classroom, and clinical experience I have noticed one recurring and consistent theme; information, research, and knowledge are constantly evolving and expanding. Does that sound familiar? (hint, hint, just like technology and social media) Knowledge is power, especially in the field of medicine. Thus, constantly being updated on new techniques, methods, procedures, and medications will not only benefit myself as a professional, but also every patient and athlete I come in contact with. But, don't stop reading just because you aren't interested in sports medicine specifically!
Regardless of what your specific future career goals entail, (since you clicked on this blog) I will assume it falls somewhere under the broad spectrum of allied health, which means the following information will pertain to you! Often people in our field dismiss the beauty of blogs, myself being one of them; I simply wrote blogs off as a marketing campaign for the fashion, fitness, and business industries. But, it turns out many social media tools and platforms are available for healthcare professionals including blogs and microblogs. In addition, blogs are also being utilized to conduct extensive discussions of healthcare policies, to share significant new information, and to help clinicians gain insight or express their views. So what's my point? What's my advice to you? Master the art of blogging.
Our generation has been immersed in a culture that revolves around technological advances, and to some, this has been portrayed negatively. It’s no secret that we’ve been labeled the ‘selfie generation’ and are constantly accused of being obsessed with our phones and with ourselves. I’m sure you’ve been bombarded with the whole “Why do you have to take a selife with the sunset? Can you not just enjoy it without having to document it? Why can’t you just live in the moment instead of reducing it to just an image on a screen?” The list goes on and on. Even though the line is fine, there is a difference between self-centered and self-empowered. I understand that there are a lot of young people who spend a lot of time posting, updating, and sharing photos that aren’t exactly high art and information that is far from riveting. While I certainly believe all the aforementioned topics are no exception to the rule that everything is best in moderation, we don’t have to accept these allegations simply because our generation was born in the midst of this technological revolution. Likewise, we shouldn’t feel guilty for the opportunities we’ve been given. We have an advantage over older generations; we don’t have to make an effort to adapt to this fast paced world because quite frankly, it’s all we’ve ever known. But, just because we won’t have a learning curve doesn’t mean we can’t misuse, abuse, and loose this opportunity that we’ve been given.
By now, hopefully I have eradicated all false pretenses associated with your age while sparking your interest in figuring out how to use information that is right at your fingertips to achieve something that seems so discouragingly far away (aka, your career goal or dream job).
As I mentioned before, I am guilty of dismissing the beauty of blogs, but after doing a little research into this newfound world of medical blogging, I am now completely on board! Although, sitting through undergraduate lecture courses are clearly necessary to build a solid foundation, I have been able to gain so much more current and practical knowledge not just relating to my desired destination, but to my journey as well. Meaning, there are equally as many blogs that can teach me what I need to know in order to become a physician assistant as there are that will continue to enhance my knowledge once I’ve gotten there. Sure, reading about new medical advances, case studies, or healthcare laws inevitably increases my knowledge, but this knowledge alone won’t enable me to achieve my goal of becoming a PA. But guess what will? Blogs that are written by actual physicians in the field and current PA students who are writing about the application process, providing advice regarding PA school admission interviews and essays, and giving suggestions on how and where to obtain clinical hours.
I challenge you to do yourself a favor: educate yourself. Maybe you’re confused on which direction in the medical field you want to take. There’s a blog for that. Maybe you just started college and you’ve just proudly declared the “Pre-Med” major, but you have suddenly discovered you aren’t exactly certain of anything else. There’s a blog for that. Maybe you’re discouraged because you know exactly what your passion is, but you don’t know how to get there, or what your next step needs to be. Guess what? There’s a blog for that too! Basically what I’m getting at is this: you’re not alone. I promise you are not the first or only person to ever feel how you feel right now. Like I said, knowledge is power and fortunately for us, it is at our fingertips just waiting to be accessed and utilized. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel or aimlessly wander in the dark as your hope and GPA simultaneously plummet. Utilize blogs to help you actively pursue your goals, as opposed to sitting back and passively dreaming (or stressing out) about them.
If you're like me and are completely new to this whole idea, you might not even know where to begin. Regardless of where you're at in your journey, there is a blog somewhere out there that can enhance your knowledge, or better prepare you for what is to come by giving you direction and insight! Who cares if you don’t even know what you don’t know?! Just get to Googling or can click this link to be taken to a list of the Top 100 Healthcare Blogs out right now. Tap into this world of medical blogging! Let it change your life (or at least make it a little easier).
1 Chauhan, B., George, R., & Coffin, J. (2012). Social media and you: What every physician needs to know. Journal of Medical Practice Management, 28(3):206–209. [PubMed]
2 Christodoulou, M. (2011). Networking: The new social revolution in health care. The Lancet.Oncology, 12(2):125. [CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar]
