Social Media Policy

Social networking offers the opportunity to develop and maintain longstanding professional and social interactions. Along with offering the potential to interact with a worldwide audience, social media provides the potential for significant lapses in professional behavior. As a student going into medicine, nursing, healthcare, research, or public health, you must be aware of your special obligations and the public and potentially permanent nature of your postings in these forums. Although social media platforms may appear to be private, all online content should be considered public and potentially permanent and viewable throughout your future career.

On social media, the lines between public and private, personal and professional are significantly blurred. Just by identifying as a SUNY Downstate student, you create an association between your online presence and the University in the eyes of the public. It is best practice to be mindful that all content you share is consistent with your role as a student and with SUNY Downstate’s values and professional standards.

As such, the following policy should be used when interacting with social media as a student, whether using the networks personally or professionally or whether using personal or college-owned equipment. (Note: These policies apply only to students. For policy guidelines for faculty, staff, and for use of official SUNY Downstate Social Media accounts, contact the Office of Communications and Marketing.)

1. Social network postings are subject to professionalism standards. For a definition of professionalism, see the appropriate school or college Honor Code or Policy on Professionalism. The permanence and written nature of these postings make them subject to scrutiny well beyond the timeframe of the posting.  Students are subject to disciplinary action within the school for postings that violate professionalism standards and/or patient privacy.
2. Representation of the University and the Profession: Students should not present themselves as official representatives of SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, University Hospital at Downstate, or any affiliated institution unless specifically authorized to do so. Students who identify themselves as SUNY Downstate students on social media should recognize that members of the public may associate their online conduct with the University and with the healthcare professions. You are prohibited from using SUNY Downstate logos or logos of our clinical affiliates without permission from the Office of Communications & Marketing (at SUNY Downstate) or the appropriate office at an affiliate. Unless expressly authorized by the University, students may not use their status as a SUNY Downstate student to imply University endorsement of commercial products, services, businesses, educational programs, consulting services, or other ventures.
3. Avoid providing specific medical or health care related advice on-line. Medically related sites or sites that contain medically related opinions should contain the disclaimer that “The posts on this site are my own and do not represent the position or opinion of SUNY Downstate.” Always differentiate between medical opinions and medical facts.
4. Use of social media can have legal ramifications. Content that portrays you, colleagues, or a SUNY Downstate department in a manner that violates professionalism standards and/or patient privacy may be used in court or other disciplinary proceedings.
5. Always be aware of what others post on your social media sites and how they may reflect on you. It is recommended that students use controls that either block or require your approval before others can post directly onto your social media. You may be held responsible for photos or content which others post about you, especially if you are “tagged” in them.
6. Statements and photos posted on Social Media sites are potentially viewable by future employers, and even if deleted may be recovered under certain circumstances. Images may be downloaded by and forwarded to others.  It is common for potential employers to search for the social network profiles of potential hires, and withhold job offers because of findings on social networking sites.
7. Be mindful of your privacy settings and check them often. It is best practice to use settings which optimize your privacy and security and avoid sharing personal information about yourself such as addresses, phone numbers, or data (such as license numbers or identification numbers) which may be used to gain access to your records.
8. Students must maintain patient privacy and may not record, photograph, livestream, transmit, distribute, or otherwise share content from clinical settings, patient care environments, laboratories, simulation centers, standardized patient encounters, instructional activities, examinations, research environments, or other educational settings without appropriate authorization. Students must comply with all applicable federal and state laws, University policies, affiliate site requirements, confidentiality obligations, and professional standards. When multiple standards apply, students are expected to comply with the most restrictive applicable requirement.
   
   Posting pictures of patients (including photos depicting the body parts of patients), patient names, or any information about patients is NEVER permitted under any circumstance. Violations of HIPAA may subject you to disciplinary action and violate local, state, and federal law.
9. Maintain the privacy of fellow students, colleagues, medical professionals, and other hospital or clinical employees unless they have given you permission for their name or likeness to be used.
10. Interaction with patients (including former patients, research participants, and their family members) on social media is prohibited (unless the person was known in another capacity prior to them becoming a patient and the posting is unrelated to the patient’s care). Students should maintain appropriate professional boundaries in all online interactions.
11. Relationships online with faculty, preceptors, attending physicians, fellows, supervising residents, interns, and other medical students are all governed by the SUNY Downstate policy against sexual harassment and violations of that policy are not tolerated. Cyber stalking, requests from those who supervise you to engage in activities outside of work, and inappropriate postings to social networking sites may all be considered forms of sexual harassment and should be reported immediately to the Office of Student Affairs or to the Title IX Coordinator.
12. Commercial Use of Educational and Clinical Experiences: SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University provides educational, clinical, research, laboratory, simulation, and professional development opportunities for the purpose of learning, scholarship, service, and patient care. These experiences are not provided for private commercial exploitation. Students may not commercially exploit educational, clinical, laboratory, simulation, research, or patient-care experiences obtained through the University for personal financial gain. For purposes of this policy, "commercially exploit" means using University-related educational, clinical, research, simulation, laboratory, patient care, or professional experiences to obtain compensation, advertising revenue, sponsorships, affiliate income, gifts, discounts, commissions, or other financial benefit.

 Prohibited activities include, but are not limited to:

• • • Receiving compensation, sponsorships, affiliate income, advertising revenue, gifts, discounts, commissions, or other remuneration associated with content derived from University educational or clinical experiences, including any that create actual or perceived conflicts with their educational responsibilities, professional obligations, or the reputation of the University.
    • Participating as a paid influencer, brand ambassador, affiliate marketer, product promoter, or commercial spokesperson where the student's University affiliation, educational activities, or healthcare-professions status contributes to the commercial value of the content.
    • Creating monetized content depicting University facilities, classrooms, laboratories, simulation centers, clinical environments, educational activities, or research activities without authorization.
    • Students may not post, distribute, monetize, or otherwise use for commercial purposes examinations, instructional materials, simulation scenarios, course content, research materials, or other proprietary materials without authorization.
    • Using the University's name, trademarks, logos, programs, affiliations, or resources in a manner that implies endorsement of a commercial product, service, or business venture.

Nothing in this policy prohibits students from discussing their educational experiences, engaging in personal expression, participating in scholarly activities, or creating non-commercial content consistent with University policies and applicable law.

13. Professional Responsibility and Digital Footprint: Students should recognize that social media content may be reviewed by residency programs, employers, licensing boards, credentialing organizations, professional associations, clinical affiliates, and future colleagues. Online conduct that violates professional standards, confidentiality obligations, University policies, or applicable laws may result in disciplinary action and may have long-term professional consequences.
14. Artificial Intelligence: This policy applies equally to content that is created, modified, enhanced, or generated using artificial intelligence technologies.

This policy should be interpreted in conjunction with the SUNY Downstate Student Handbook. Activities conducted through social media remain subject to all applicable provisions of the SUNY Downstate Student Handbook, including policies governing business and commercial activities, use of institutional resources, student conduct, and professionalism. Violations of this policy may be subject to disciplinary action as defined in the Rules of Student Conduct as published in the current SUNY Downstate Student Handbook.

To avoid future indiscretions, students are strongly encouraged to alert colleagues to comments made online that may violate professional standards and refer colleagues to this policy.

Students assigned to affiliated clinical sites are required to comply with all applicable site policies. Where an affiliate's requirements are more restrictive than University requirements, the more restrictive standard shall apply.

 

See also: SUNY Downstate Policy on The Responsible Use of Social Media

Approved by: The Council of Deans
Last Updated: August, 2026