Social media in pathology and laboratory medicine: A systematic review

Abstract

The use of social media platforms in pathology and medical laboratory science has increased in recent years, revolutionizing the way professionals in these fields interact, disseminate information, and collaborate. To gain an understanding of the current landscape regarding social media use in pathology and medical laboratory science, a novel systematic review was conducted. A search of PubMed, Medline, Embase, and Scopus was performed to identify articles evaluating social media use within pathology and medical laboratory science. Articles published in English within the previous 10 years were searched on December 22, 2022. Inclusion criteria were articles containing information regarding social media utility in pathology or laboratory medicine and related articles that mentioned specific hashtags for pathology. The review process involved analyzing the social media platforms referenced, hashtags mentioned, and the presence of international authors as key endpoints of interest. 802 publications were identified; 54 studies met inclusion criteria. Subspecialties represented were considered, but none were found to be statistically significant. X/Twitter (n = 42) was the most discussed social media platform. The top hashtags discussed were #pathJC (5.1%), #dermpathJC (4.2%), #USCAP2016 (3.4%), and #PathBoards (3.4%). Analysis of these articles provides insights into current trends, including the social media platforms referenced, hashtags used, and involvement of international authors. This review will contribute to a deeper understanding of the role and impact of social media in these fields, highlighting opportunities and challenges for future research and practice in pathology and lab medicine.