Use of social media by medical students: ethical implications

Abstract

The use of social media by medical students in a hospital environment raises ethical and privacy issues,
as evidenced in this qualitative, cross-sectional, descriptive study conducted in Curitiba between August
2023 and April 2024 with 167 students. All reported access to mobile internet, with a predominance of
Instagram (89.8%) and an average of 2.93 hours per day. Although 70.1% avoid using it during hospital
activities, 61.7% discuss clinical cases online; 89.9% have witnessed inappropriate posts, but 56.3% did
not react. Lack of knowledge of the Federal Council of Medicine’s standards highlights gaps in academic
training. Thus, the incorporation of the bioethical dimension, based on confidentiality, autonomy,
beneficence, and non-maleficence, is essential to guide responsible conduct in the digital environment
and ensure respect for patient privacy and strengthen medicine’s social commitment.