• The Role of Social Media Platforms in Medical Education: A Narrative Review
  • Ali Bejani,1,* Majid Sadeghpour,2 Kamyar Kamangar,3 Parisa Maleki,4 Negar Mobasheri,5
    1. Student Research Committee, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
    2. Department of General Medicine, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
    3. Student Research Committee, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
    4. Student Research Committee, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
    5. Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran


  • Introduction: The rapid expansion of social media has reshaped communication, collaboration, and learning practices across higher education, including medical training. Platforms such as Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and TikTok have been increasingly integrated into pedagogical strategies, complementing traditional didactic teaching with innovative, learner-centered approaches. In medical education, the demand for flexible, accessible, and engaging content has intensified, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, when online platforms became vital for sustaining academic continuity. Social media tools enable micro-learning and nano-learning methods, where knowledge is transmitted in short, focused units tailored to specific objectives. For instance, TikTok’s short video format aligns with nano-learning principles, offering opportunities for delivering creative, time-efficient educational content. Similarly, Instagram has demonstrated potential in image-based disciplines such as histology and radiology, providing interactive activities that support both peer-to-peer engagement and formative assessments. LinkedIn serves as a professional development tool, allowing students to strengthen employability, expand networks, and build digital literacy. Facebook, the most widely used platform, facilitates knowledge exchange and collaborative learning but raises challenges regarding privacy and professionalism. Together, these platforms highlight a shifting paradigm in medical education—towards digital, interactive, and student-driven approaches that extend beyond the classroom and into professional practice.
  • Methods: This study was designed as a narrative review synthesizing current evidences. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases for studies published between 2000 and 2025.
  • Results: The findings demonstrate significant but varied contributions of different platforms. Instagram has shown promise in enhancing learning in image-based medical subjects. For example, activities incorporating multiple-choice questions, schematic diagrams, and student-generated images achieved high participation rates, with over 85% of histology students engaging on Instagram and reporting improvements in their academic performance. Similarly, projects at Queen’s University Belfast during the pandemic leveraged Instagram for daily MCQs, resulting in high levels of engagement, improved feedback practices, and enhanced student autonomy. However, research remains limited, and greater formal training for educators is needed. LinkedIn has emerged as a valuable tool for professional growth in higher education. Studies with sport management and medical students highlight LinkedIn’s role in fostering employability, networking, and professional identity formation. Interventions that encouraged students to create content, join professional groups, and interact with industry stakeholders significantly improved their self-perceived competence and digital literacy. Students recognized the importance of LinkedIn for connecting academic learning with real-world opportunities, reinforcing its potential as an academic and professional bridge. TikTok, though less explored in medical contexts, represents a frontier for nano-learning. Its short video format aligns with outcome-driven microcontent, enabling rapid, engaging dissemination of concepts. This model has the potential to support innovative e-learning methodologies, particularly when creativity and brevity are prioritized. Facebook remains the most widely used platform, with over 90% of students reporting regular use. Its features support collaboration, information sharing, and peer discussion, making it an effective yet underutilized educational tool. Challenges include balancing professionalism with openness, as privacy concerns and ethical guidelines must be carefully considered. Overall, these platforms collectively demonstrate strong potential to diversify pedagogical methods, foster engagement, and prepare students for digitally integrated professional environments.
  • Conclusion: This review highlights that social media platforms—Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Facebook, hold distinct but complementary roles in advancing medical education. Instagram and TikTok offer interactive, visual, and nano-learning opportunities, while LinkedIn strengthens professional identity and career readiness. Facebook supports broad collaboration and communication but requires careful management of privacy and professionalism. Together, these platforms provide accessible, engaging, and effective tools for integrating active learning into medical curricula. Universities and educators must strategically adopt these platforms, tailoring their use to pedagogical goals, while also providing guidance on professional standards, to maximize benefits and mitigate risks in digital medical education.
  • Keywords: Medical Education, Social Media Platforms, Microlearning and Nanolearning, Professional Development