Defining the methodological challenges and opportunities for an effective science of sociotechnical systems and safety

An important part of the application of sociotechnical systems theory (STS) is the development of methods, tools and techniques to assess human factors and ergonomics workplace requirements. We focus in this paper on describing and evaluating current STS methods for workplace safety, as well as outlining a set of six case studies covering the application of these methods to a range of safety contexts. We also describe an evaluation of the methods in terms of ratings of their ability to address a set of theoretical and practical questions (e.g. the degree to which methods capture static/dynamic aspects of tasks and interactions between system levels). The outcomes from the evaluation highlight a set of gaps relating to the coverage and applicability of current methods for STS and safety (e.g. coverage of external influences on system functioning; method usability). The final sections of the paper describe a set of future challenges, as well as some practical suggestions for tackling these. Practitioner Summary: We provide an up-to-date review of STS methods, a set of case studies illustrating their use and an evaluation of their strengths and weaknesses. The paper concludes with a ‘roadmap’ for future work

Response to Assessing a Paradigm Shift: Perceptions of the USMLE Step 1 Scoring Change to Pass/Fail .

We commend Wei et al1 for highlighting the fundamental shift that dermatology program directors (PDs) and students alike will experience following the change of the USMLE Step 1 to pass/fail

Social Media and Ethical Challenges for the Dermatologist

Purpose of Review: The purpose of review is to provide guidance on the use of social media within the context of dermatology and discuss its ethical, professional, and legal implications in education, mentorship, networking, business, and clinical settings. Recent Findings: Despite its fundamental value as a means of communication and knowledge sharing, social media carries legal, ethical, and professional challenges. Healthcare providers have run into issues such as misinformation, conflicts of interest, and overstepping patient-physician boundaries when using social media. An interesting finding is that dermatologists commonly engage with an online audience through social media marketing or being an influencer to improve business and extend their reach to clients; however, this warrants formal training and the need to monitor their own online presence to prevent legal consequences. Summary: Social media has become integral in everyday life; billions of people now receive information and stay connected with each other through social platforms. Within medicine, social media has enhanced various aspects of healthcare, such as professional networking, patient care, and patient education. In dermatology, social media allows dermatologists to promote their businesses and services through patient testimonials, posting advice on blogs, and networking with a large audience of potential patients. However, having a social media presence must be exercised with care, purpose, and transparency to maximize benefits and minimize harmful consequences. This is especially important when inappropriate social media posts by physicians can be scrutinized for breaching patient confidentiality, violating privacy, financial conflicts of interest, and possibly disseminating incorrect information

Social Media and Clinical Research in Dermatology

Purpose of Review: The immense growth of social media has afforded new opportunities in dermatology clinical research. This review serves to outline how social media has impacted clinical research and to explore future avenues for which social media can make a significant impact in dermatology clinical research. Recent Findings: Recent clinical trials augmented by social media have demonstrated increased participant enrollment, shortened recruitment timelines, and decreased recruitment cost. The incorporation of social media into clinical research has also afforded greater access to teledermatology and the initiation of virtual clinical trials. Summary: Clinical research serves as a primary source of evidence for refining healthcare practices by expanding the understanding of patient demographics, methods for improving patient care, and new therapeutic discoveries. Since its initiation, social media has played an integral and ever-expanding role in clinical research