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Social media for research, education and practice in rheumatology

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Abstract

Online social networking offers numerous opportunities for continuing medical education, professional development, and scholarly collaboration. Available social media channels proved useful for expanding education and research perspectives, particularly in rapidly developing academic disciplines such as rheumatology. Although there are numerous advantages of social media, busy clinicians should be aware of some drawbacks related to misinformation, unethical promotion, and unprofessional behavior in globally expanding platforms. Filtering credible and expert-proven information by skilled users is, therefore, increasingly important. Enforcing ethical norms and advancing professional etiquette in the field is strongly advisable. This article overviews the advantages and shortcomings of social media and reflects on available platforms for education and research in rheumatology.

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In accordance with the ICMJE criteria, all authors contributed to the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

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Correspondence to Olena Zimba.

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Zimba, O., Radchenko, O. & Strilchuk, L. Social media for research, education and practice in rheumatology. Rheumatol Int 40, 183–190 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-019-04493-4

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