“Hey is for Horses”...Knowing Your Netiquette!

“Hey Dr. Vora!” Seeing this salutation in email correspondence has been known by both my colleagues and students to give me (Dr. Vora) pause:). As a member of a generation where written letters were prefaced with the salutation “Dear ABC” and signed “Sincerely, XYZ,” seeing casual or informal approaches to professional communication can be off-putting. For some, it may even lead to a negative, or at the very least, suboptimal first impression. With generational differences in communication, as a premedical or medical student, resident, or physician, it is important to be able to relate well to patients, colleagues, and preceptors or attendings who have different communication preferences and expectations. In order to “play it safe”, erring on the side of conservative communication may be the best approach. I have had the opportunity to look into this topic previously in my role as a medical school assistant dean and have presented and discussed it with both medical students and medical school faculty colleagues. As a result of the interesting discussions that we have had, I thought that I would share what I have learned about internet etiquette (better known as “netiquette”).

"Netiquette" is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as “etiquette governing communication on the Internet” and “rules about the proper and polite way to communicate with other people when you are using the internet.” The first question to consider is whether adhering to appropriate “netiquette” is important. I would say definitely yes! The question that follows then is why, especially if you believe your intent to be the same regardless of your selection of salutation (e.g. “Hey”, “Dear”) or level of formality. When corresponding by email in any professional communication, the salutation and signature you use, as well as the content, style, tone, and language utilized in the body of the email, can be the difference between being considered for a position versus being ruled out as a desirable applicant. Though seemingly insignificant to some, referring to someone as “Hey Rupal” versus “Dear Dr. Vora” or “Good afternoon, Dr. Vora” can be interpreted as an indicator of one’s level of respect and politeness. Interesting research by Aguilar-Roca et al. (2009) has found that only two minutes of training in email etiquette and professional formatting by faculty significantly led to improvements in email communication and related faculty perception. In this study, email formatting, appropriate salutations, and avoidance of abbreviations used in text messaging were examples of netiquette-related guidance. Hopefully, if you are reading this post and have been informal previously in professional communications, this may serve as a two-minute quick free netiquette tutorial!

So, what salutation should you select to begin a professional email? If it is your first communication and you do not have an established relationship with the recipient, “Dear”, “Good morning/afternoon/evening”, or simply stating the individual’s name formally (e.g. Dr., Mr./Ms./Mx.) are appropriate options. Once a relationship has been established, you may transition to Hello and other more informal salutations (but please never use “hey”).

A few more factors that I always consider when constructing emails include ensuring that the emails are carefully constructed, grammatically correct, clear, and polite. Over many years, I have discovered helpful considerations (after having some near-misses and also making my share of mistakes) in email construction leading to an approach similar to creative writing while focusing on relaying the desired message to the recipient.

· Utilize a professional email address in your professional communications. Avoid cutesy or inappropriate verbiage for your email address (e.g. iamawesome@hotmail.com) and also any inappropriate photos or symbols that could be misconstrued.

· Avoid writing emails in anger or when experiencing angst. If you do so, at least resist the temptation to hit send. Rather, it is important to put it away until you can re-read it with a clear mind. Often, once you do so, you will realize that there is a better approach to communicating the issue at hand, and in many cases, you will end up deleting what you had previously written in the heat of the moment.

· Consider whether you wish to reply in an email to one individual or to all that are on the email chain. Be cognizant of the use of the CC and BCC options and which one may be appropriate to select.

· Use a clear subject line.

· Find a polite salutation and ending.

“Hey is for Horses!” and “Hi is not the best.”

“Hello” and “Good Afternoon” are fine if you must be less formal.

“Dear” gets the most credit but if you are uncomfortable with “Dear” it is fine to begin with Dr./Mr./Ms./Mx.

Sincerely is always safe. Other options to consider in the signature line include Regards and Respectfully.

· AVOID ALL CAPS. OTHERWISE, THE EMAIL RECIPIENT WILL THINK YOU ARE YELLING AT THEM!

· Avoid abbreviations, esp. text-like abbrev. (LOL, TTYL, SYS)

· Spell check. Grammar check.

All in all, technology and the advent of the internet have brought about opportunities for more immediate and potentially more effective communication between individuals. However, with its advantages, email communication has its limitations, with one of the most significant being the potential for miscommunication or misinterpretation of intent. In order to avoid any pitfalls and to optimize how your email will be received, it is important to take care with regard to how you communicate. Words matter and using respectful language and reading your email prior to sending it can help make sure that the reader receives your communication well. I personally really enjoy writing and appreciate this opportunity to do so! Thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope that this "internet communication" has been received well :).

Sincerely,

Rupal Vora, M.D., MPH, FACP

P.S. If you are a premedical student, medical student, or resident interested in academic/board examination guidance, career/specialty planning, professionalism guidance, medical school admissions and/or residency matching, please feel free to contact me at rupalvoramd@gmail.com. I look forward to the opportunity to work with you to help you achieve success in your endeavors!