Background: The rapid growth and availability of smartphones
and social media platforms (SMP) have changed the medical
students' approach to learn and manage the information about
their academic, personal and professional lives.
Methods: An online survey was done in undergraduate medical
students of PIMS, Karimnagar to collect information about
usage pattern and perception of SMP, and willingness to
participate for using SMP as a learning tool in medical
education.
Results: Total 433 (Females – 275) out of 600 students
participated in the survey from the first year (125), secondyear (151) and third-year (157) MBBS students. Everyone is
using some type of SMP. They find SMP nearly equal to lecture
materials and subject notes as a useful learning tool and there
was significantly increasing trend of perception of SMP being
a useful learning tool from the first-year (79%), second-year
(83%) to third-year (92%), (p=0.01). Almost 93% want to see
SMP used at institute level in medical education. Female
students (52.4%) are significantly more willing for active
participation than male students (43%), p=0.04. First-year
students (56%) are more ready for active participation followed
by third (48.4%) and second (43.7%) year students, p=0.08.
Conclusion: Most students are willing to include SMP in
medical education as a learning tool and ready to participate
in different activities if they get the required training. As all
students have smartphones and efficiently utilizing different
services on their devices, SMP can become an effective learning
tool in medical education.