Pdoc and LinkedIn

So, I have a LinkedIn account and got an email today saying that so and so wants to connect with me. I just find it a little weird that so and so is my pdoc. I know LinkedIn connections are a little different that facebook friends. LinkedIn is more "professional" relationships/connections. I still find it odd though. How did he find me? Is he "stalking" me?

Now the question is, do I accept the connection or not?

Hmmm....

My guess is that he used the "find connection" feature (or whatever it's called), and sent requests to everyone on his contact list. I'd probably avoid making the connection, but that's just because I'm not sure I'd want to show up on my pdoc's list of connections.

Personally, I'd avoid any social networking with a T or pdoc. Fortunately, my T has a very open policy on social networking - he doesn't do it, at all. He mentions this on his website and he mentioned it when I first met him.

I saw that as a "hard boundary" and respect it, but I also like it. To me, T is so intimately private and it's SUCH a small world, I can't even begin to THINK "what if one of my friends goes to my T", or what if someone from LinkedIn or Facebook recognizes his name and knows I'm associated with my T.

I would ignore the connection and even maybe mention it to your pdoc that you don't want to engage in social networking with him for privacy concerns.

As for how he found you, it most likely is from his email list, or yours and his profiles, if you share the same town, etc. I remember when I first started on facebook, I was getting "who you knows" from people I haven't emailed/talked to in 10 years! LOL Talk about weird.

I had a request on LinkedIn from my T too, I just accepted it and moved on. Maybe it is an auto thing?

It's a hijacking. I would block it.
The same thing happened to me, twice now, getting an invitation to connect with my T. She knew nothing about it and neither did I (we talked about it to discover that it had happened).
It's probably time to update our LinkedIn password.

Agree with likelife - he probably used the auto "find connections" feature. LinkedIn prompts you to do it all the time, and it's easy to accidentally click it, even when you don't mean to.

Personally, I'd decline.

Thanks for the input everyone. Connection with pdoc was ignored. I also had a request from my former pastor (connenction invitation was sent last week, he was my pastor 5 years ago), which was also odd. I'll have to ask pdoc at my next appointment if he meant to send it or not, he may not know it was sent and need to check his list to see if it was accidently sent to someone else he didn't intend to as well.

I'd rather not have a connection with a mental hospital director/private psychiatrist as it may lead people to find out I see one.

LinkedIn asked me if I wanted to connect people who I have on my email contacts list. I don't even connect with my brother or father there because I want it to be strictly professional contacts.

Squirrel, I am on LinkedIn and I do not have connections with any of my health care providers. I have never sought them out and they have never sought me out. If one of them asked to connect, I think it might feel awkward, and I would probably just ignore the request. I think of LinkedIn as more peer to peer interactions rather than patient to provider connections. I am in grad school right now, and I also have not connected with any faculty unless they are no longer employed by the university. When I am done with school, I may try to connect with the ones who still teach at the university. I guess I'm just really cognizant of dual relationships and want to keep things tidy.