Social Media and Neurosurgery: Insights from the Top 100 Neurosurgery Influencers on Twitter.
Publication/Presentation Date
3-1-2023
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The rise in popularity of social media (SoMe) in medicine has created a powerful tool for the professional development and continued education of clinicians. Numerous benefits of SoMe exist; however, significant challenges concerning professionalism, confidentiality, and spread of misinformation may limit its usefulness. To understand the ways the top 100 Twitter influencers interact with SoMe, their views on SoMe, and its future in the medical field.
METHODS: Literature was reviewed to obtain common concerns about SoMe in the medical field. A survey with 30 questions was sent to the top 100 Twitter influencers in the Neurosurgical field identified by Riccio et al. The survey assessed participant demographics, SoMe activity, stance toward SoMe, and views on the future of SoMe.
RESULTS: Most participants were in the age group of 35-44 years (n = 23, 44.2%), resided in the United States (n = 39, 73.6%), have been in practice for 6-10 years (n = 14, 26.4%), and ranked Twitter as the mostly used platform (n = 37,72.6%). Per participant Reponses, 35 (66%) participants have taken a political stance on SoMe, 0 (0%) have gotten into any legal issues regarding a post shared on SoMe, 45 (84.9%) agreed/strongly agreed that SoMe is essential for networking and mentorship, and 49 (92.3%) agreed/strongly agreed that that SoMe will continue to play a major role in the medical field.
CONCLUSIONS: Although SoMe has its advantages, several disadvantages render it a double-edged sword. Maximizing SoMe's benefits and minimizing its misuse will further strengthen its role in the medical field.
Volume
171
First Page
422
Last Page
422
ISSN
1878-8769
Published In/Presented At
El Naamani, K., Yudkoff, C. J., Carreras, A., Abbas, R., Sioutas, G. S., Amllay, A., Tjoumakaris, S. I., Gooch, M. R., Herial, N., Rosenwasser, R. H., & Jabbour, P. (2023). Social Media and Neurosurgery: Insights from the Top 100 Neurosurgery Influencers on Twitter. World neurosurgery, 171, e422–e431. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wneu.2022.12.023
Disciplines
Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Health and Medical Administration | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
PubMedID
36529426
Department(s)
Administration and Leadership
Document Type
Article