Social media and pharmacy: what students think

摘要

An MPharm student research project was carried out at the school of pharmacy at Keele University to explore students' familiarity with current social media guidance and to raise awareness of the guidance set out by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). The project also sought students' views on whether personal social media use should affect an individual's professional life. Social media comprises internet-based services that allow individuals to create public or semi-public profiles and connect with people with whom they have something in common. Around 77% of internet users report having a social media account, with Facebook being the most popular. Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, Twitter, and Tumblr are gaining popularity with young people; individuals aged 16-24 years are more likely to claim one of these as their primary account.