Visual Note Taking for Medical Students in the Age of Instagram

Purpose

Visual note taking is a strategy used by medical students in the process of learning medicine. Some medical students show a preference for learning by drawing and some also promote learning in others by sharing their drawings globally on social media platforms. Instagram is a popular platform for promoting shared visual learning by medical students but little is known about the impact for medical student learners of these shared Instagram drawings.

Method

In this descriptive exploratory study medical students who post on Instagram were interviewed, and their followers surveyed, to determine the efficacy of both their self and shared learning. The interview transcripts and survey responses were analyzed inductively, generating themes about the role of visual learning in medicine and the larger value in building community.

Results

Both medical students who post on Instagram and their followers self-identified as having a preference for visual learning; they associated learning and retention with both the act of making and looking at, drawings. They also identified a role for mnemonics and humour in their education. Importantly, they and their followers, reported that the emergence of an online community of practice played a vital role in helping them cope with the stresses of medical training.

Discussion

Creating visual notes/cartoons was an integral part of the learning strategy for medical students, as was looking at these images for the followers. Through the sharing of their images, medical students acted as role models for their medical student followers, illustrating that visual note taking can be a successful learning strategy in the study of medicine. Connecting online through sharing and commenting on Instagram drawings provided a virtual space for recognition and processing of the struggles inherent in medical training.