Determining the effects of social media engagement on surgery residents within the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons.

Abstract

Context: The widespread adoption of social media has transformed how individuals connect in medicine. This study explores how social media can be utilized as a conduit to connect osteopathic medical students and residents. By examining how these digital connections can support professional development, this study investigates social media's role as a potential foundation for a mentorship program, fostering guidance, support, and career insights for osteopathic medical students within the surgical field.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of "X" (formerly Twitter) in networking between osteopathic medical students and surgical residents, specifically assessing engagement rates and the potential of social media as a tool for mentorship in the osteopathic surgical community.

Methods: The Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-approved surgical programs that the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons (ACOS) represents were identified online. Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) residents were identified retrospectively through an online search of publicly available data. Residents and programs were searched through X, and account handles were collected. Residents were contacted through X by direct messaging and subsequently directly commented in the initial ACOS Medical Student Section (ACOS-MSS) message. Descriptive statistics along with the chi-square and Fisher's exact statistical tests were utilized for demographic and categorical variable analysis, respectively.

Results: There are 1179 DO surgical residents in ACGME programs, with 84.8 % of those being General Surgery residents. Among residents, 75 % of Cardiothoracic (CT) Surgery, 46.4 % of Urology, 28.6 % of Neurosurgery, 17.3 % of General Surgery, and 11.11 % of Plastic Surgery residents have X accounts. Specific surgical subspecialties are more likely to have an X account in comparison to General Surgery, including CT Surgery (odds ratio [OR], 11.13; p=0.02), Urology (OR, 4.13; p<0.0001), and Neurosurgery (OR, 0.842; p=0.047). After multiple attempts, 0 % of Plastic Surgery, 2.9 % of General Surgery, 7.8 % of Urology, 18.8 % of Neurosurgery, and 33.3 % of CT Surgery residents signed up for the mentorship program, totaling 13 residents.

Conclusions: The study reveals low social media engagement via X among osteopathic surgical residents, with notable variation across surgical specialties. This limited engagement suggests exploring and refining social media strategies that foster mentorship connections within the osteopathic surgical community. Future studies should examine other social media platforms and alternative engagement approaches to enhance the reach and impact of mentorship initiatives, ultimately supporting osteopathic medical students as they navigate career paths in surgery.