The Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Facebook Page

Sir: Social media are a potent tool available to the plastic surgeon, both in practice and in training, with their ability to disseminate knowledge to the public efficiently, effectively, and economically.1 Of these outlets, Facebook is one of the most popular, with its robust platform and diverse services.2 Thus, it should come as no surprise that medical journals, including Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, host their own Facebook pages that complement the monthly hardcopy versions.3 For residents and medical students, the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Facebook page provides a range of information with which to hone their scientific and surgical skills. This article discusses the features that help users learn the principles of plastic surgery and simultaneously connect an audience that shares similar interests. Many in our generation joined Facebook at the start of medical school as a way to remain in contact with our classmates. Regardless of the reason for creating an account, users can perform a wide range of activities, from receiving instantaneous updates on their charities to sharing personal experiences. The latter often creates fear, particularly in medical students applying for residency, because of concerns about privacy violations or misrepresentations construed by patients.4 To this end, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery has implemented measures to protect the privacy of the “likers” of its Facebook page. Every day, the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Facebook page highlights abstracts and free full-text articles deemed important and critical for plastic surgeons by the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery editorial staff. Users with limited time in residency and medical school can peruse the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Facebook page daily to efficiently find these high-yield articles. These entries have video commentaries from the authors of the article or an expert in the field to supplement the reading content. One can go through the steps of a face lift with Dr. James Stuzin or hear about the biology of adipose tissue–derived stem cells with Dr. Michael Longaker—all with direct links from the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Facebook page. Users can “like” or “comment” on the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Facebook page’s entry, which can foster discussions or future research collaborations. Entries can be useful for medical students seeking away rotations and for residents seeking fellowships. With the ubiquitous reach of Facebook, likers of the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Facebook page can instantaneously connect with an international audience and expand their networking opportunities. For example, a teacher from Honduras in need of a plastic surgeon to treat the burn contractures of one of her students found a potential hand surgeon from the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Resident Blogs entries, which automatically generates news feeds on the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Facebook page. The Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Facebook platform connects people from diverse backgrounds who share a common interest in plastic surgery to rapidly advance and spread plastic surgery care worldwide. Finally, the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Facebook page alerts its likers to free prizes such as iPads. Being one of the first few contestants drastically increases the chances of winning because of the restriction of voters, so receiving news feeds from the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Facebook page may improve a user’s odds of winning the prize. Currently, users can enter a contest to win a free iPad by voting on their favorite educational video listed on the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Web site. Of course, the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Facebook page can be accessed on mobile devices such as the iPad and iPhone to provide all of this information literally at users’ fingertips. From its educational content to connections with a group of individuals with similar backgrounds, the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Facebook page offers a plethora of useful tools. Social media, and Facebook in particular, have become an integral part of our digital age, and taking advantage of the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Facebook page will help users stay abreast of current topics and improve their surgical skills. DISCLOSURE The authors have no financial interest to declare in relation to the content of this article.