Student pharmacist, pharmacy resident, and graduate student perceptions of social interactions with faculty members.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the perceptions of student pharmacists, graduate students, and pharmacy residents regarding social situations involving students or residents and faculty members at public and private universities.
METHODS: Focus groups of student pharmacists, graduate students, and pharmacy residents were formed at 2 pharmacy schools. Given 3 scenarios, participants indicated if they thought any boundaries had been violated and why. Responses were grouped into similar categories and frequencies were determined.
RESULTS: Compared with private university students or pharmacy residents, student pharmacists at a public university were more likely to think "friending" on Facebook violated a boundary. No participants considered reasonable consumption of alcohol in social settings a violation. "Tagging" faculty members in photos on Facebook was thought to be less problematic, but most participants stated they would be conscious of what they were posting.
CONCLUSIONS: The social interactions between faculty members and students or residents, especially student pharmacists, should be kept professional. Students indicated that social networking may pose threats to maintaining professional boundaries.