The Use of Social Media for Medical Education Within Urology: a Journey Still in Progress

Social media and urology: The good, the bad and the ugly

Social media (SoMe) is now a core part of modern-day life with increased use among both patients and urologists. The interplay of SoMe between these two parties is complex. From a patient perspective, SoMe platforms can serve as educational tools as well as communication portals to support networks and patient communities. However, studies report the educational value of content online is often poor and may contain misinformation. For urologists, SoMe can lead to research collaborations, networking and educational content but areas of concern include the potential negative impact SoMe can have on mental health and sharing of patient images without appropriate consent. This review serves to provide an overview of the interaction between SoMe and urology practice and provide practical guidance to navigating it.

Battle of the bots: a comparative analysis of ChatGPT and bing AI for kidney stone-related questions

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate and compare the performance of ChatGPT™ (Open AI®) and Bing AI™ (Microsoft®) for responding to kidney stone treatment-related questions in accordance with the American Urological Association (AUA) guidelines and assess factors such as appropriateness, emphasis on consulting healthcare providers, references, and adherence to guidelines by each chatbot.

METHODS

We developed 20 kidney stone evaluation and treatment-related questions based on the AUA Surgical Management of Stones guideline. Questions were asked to ChatGPT and Bing AI chatbots. We compared their responses utilizing the brief DISCERN tool as well as response appropriateness.

RESULTS

ChatGPT significantly outperformed Bing AI for questions 1-3, which evaluate clarity, achievement, and relevance of responses (12.77 ± 1.71 vs. 10.17 ± 3.27; p < 0.01). In contrast, Bing AI always incorporated references, whereas ChatGPT never did. Consequently, the results for questions 4-6, which evaluated the quality of sources, were consistently favored Bing AI over ChatGPT (10.8 vs. 4.28; p < 0.01). Notably, neither chatbot offered guidance against guidelines for pre-operative testing. However, recommendations against guidelines were notable for specific scenarios: 30.5% for the treatment of adults with ureteral stones, 52.5% for adults with renal stones, and 20.5% for all patient treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

ChatGPT significantly outperformed Bing AI in terms of providing responses with clear aim, achieving such aim, and relevant and appropriate responses based on AUA surgical stone management guidelines. However, Bing AI provides references, allowing information quality assessment. Additional studies are needed to further evaluate these chatbots and their potential use by clinicians and patients for urologic healthcare-related questions.

Learning Outcomes and Educational Effectiveness of Social Media as a Continuing Professional Development Intervention for Practicing Surgeons: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis

Objective

The objective of this systematic review was to assess the learning outcomes and educational effectiveness of social media as a continuing professional development intervention for surgeons in practice.

Background

Social media has the potential to improve global access to educational resources and collaborative networking. However, the learning outcomes and educational effectiveness of social media as a continuing professional development (CPD) intervention are yet to be summarized.

Methods

We searched MEDLINE and Embase databases from 1946 to 2022. We included studies that assessed the learning outcomes and educational effectiveness of social media as a CPD intervention for practicing surgeons. We excluded studies that were not original research, involved only trainees, did not evaluate educational effectiveness, or involved an in-person component. The 18-point Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI) was used for quality appraisal. Learning outcomes were categorized according to Moore's Expanded Outcomes Framework (MEOF).

Results

A total of 830 unique studies revealed 14 studies for inclusion. The mean MERSQI score of the included studies was 9.0 ± 0.8. In total, 3227 surgeons from 105 countries and various surgical specialties were included. Twelve studies (86%) evaluated surgeons' satisfaction (MEOF level 2), 3 studies (21%) evaluated changes in self-reported declarative or procedural knowledge (MEOF levels 3A and 3B), 1 study (7%) evaluated changes in self-reported competence (MEOF level 4), and 5 studies (36%) evaluated changes in self-reported performance in practice (MEOF level 5). No studies evaluated changes in patient or community health (MEOF levels 6 and 7).

Conclusions

The use of social media as a CPD intervention among practicing surgeons is associated with improved self-reported declarative and procedural knowledge, self-reported competence, and self-reported performance in practice. Further research is required to assess whether social media use for CPD in surgeons is associated with improvements in higher level and objectively measured learning outcomes.

From Likes to Saving Lives: Embracing Social Media's Power to Connect, Learn, and Innovate in Medical Education Delivery

Social media have become an integral part of human life, because the manner in which we communicate, share information, and network with the external world is changing significantly. The purpose of the current review is to explore the role of social media in transforming medical education, identify the merits and the potential concerns, and propose effective strategies to overcome the identified challenges. Social media have significant potential in strengthening the delivery of medical education and meeting the scenarios emerging out of changing dynamics. The most important aspect of social media is that they have global reach and wide accessibility, and promotes active engagement of students. Similar to any other teaching-learning method, even the use of social media has its own limitations-cum-concerns. We must come out with potential solutions to each one of these problems so that overall acceptance and utilization of social media applications can be optimized. In conclusion, social media in medical education have immense potential to revolutionize learning and provide a platform for collaborative learning and networking. The need of the hour is to do systematic planning, train stakeholders, and establish guidelines for promoting effective engagement while using social media, and thereby keeping pace with the rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.

TikTok as an Educational Tool for Kidney Stone Prevention

INTRODUCTION

The incidence of kidney stones in the United States continues to increase. Although dietary interventions have shown to be effective in reducing stone events, adherence to medical management continues to be a limiting factor. For that reason, patient education has become a focus of many physicians. TikTok, a social media application with over one billion users worldwide, has emerged as an online center for medical knowledge sharing by physicians and non-physicians alike. TikTok users share kidney stone prevention information through short informational videos directly to the general public. Little is known regarding the quality of medical advice provided in these videos. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reach and quality of kidney stone prevention information on TikTok.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of renal stone prevention content on TikTok utilizing the search term #kidneystoneprevention to assess all the videos appearing on October 10th, 2022. Only videos in English, related to the topic, and with >1000 views were included. Videos were analyzed for descriptive statistics, including views, uploader profession, and stone prevention recommendations. Videos were assessed utilizing Denver International Study Center of Evaluative Rating of Information (DISCERN), a questionnaire used to appraise the quality of consumer health information (maximum score of 80 per video). The one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine statistical significance groups.

RESULTS

Out of a total of 131 videos, 87 fit the inclusion criteria, resulting in a total of 8.75 million views. An average DISCERN score of 27.0 was observed. Only eight videos were published by physicians, of which the average DISCERN score of 35.3 was significantly greater than an average score of 26.2 for non-physicians (p<0.05). The most common recommendation was increased fluid intake (38.0%) followed by monitoring calcium levels (9.02%) and decreasing oxalate-rich foods (9.2%).

CONCLUSIONS

Kidney stone prevention content on TikTok has a wide reach with millions of consumers. The majority of videos fail to match American Urological Association recommendations regarding diet therapies for stone prevention. Further research is needed to understand the extent of kidney stone prevention misinformation on social media and how it contributes to patient outcomes. Increased engagement in TikTok by urologists and health organizations may improve public education.

Insights and Recommendations From Two Urology-Based Educational Interventions: Development of a Urology Teaching Programme and Out-of-Hours Urology Handbook

Exposure and education in urology for medical students (MSs) and junior doctors (JDs) have long been overlooked, resulting in inadequate preparedness for the management of urological cases/patients. This study addresses this deficiency through the implementation of a Urology Teaching Programme (UTP) and the creation of an Out-of-Hours Urology Handbook (OOHUH). The UTP was delivered virtually, targeting senior MSs and JDs, and covered common urological presentations and management pathways from a JD's perspective. The OOHUH aimed to enhance the care provided by general surgery senior house officers (SHOs) at Lister Hospital (Stevenage, UK), offering guidance for nine common urological conditions in emergency and out-of-hours settings. Both initiatives demonstrated significant improvements in knowledge and confidence in urology. The findings underscore the importance of supplementary urology education and suggest strategies for bridging training gaps in medical curricula and clinical practice. Recommendations include tailored induction programs and simulation days for junior doctors, along with the widespread adoption of such educational interventions to enhance patient care and trainee preparedness in urology.

Social Media and Apps in Urology

Purpose of Review

In this study, we aimed to review the common social media (SoMe) apps used and how they have impacted the practice and exchange of information, as well as the challenges of using SoMe in urology.

Recent Findings

SoMe has become increasingly popular in the urology community. Lay users often turn to SoMe to learn about urological health and share their own experiences, while medical professionals may use it for career development, networking, education, and research purposes.

Summary

It is important to recognize the power of SoMe and to use it responsibly and ethically, particularly given the potential risks of encountering low-quality or misleading information.

Public Awareness of Interventional Radiology: Population-Based Analysis of the Current State of and Pathways for Improvement

PURPOSE

To evaluate the awareness of interventional radiology (IR) among the public and identify methods for improvement.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Participants (N = 1,000) were anonymously surveyed using Amazon's Mechanical Turk crowdsourcing platform about medical and IR-specific knowledge, preferred methods of acquisition of medical information, and suggestions for improving awareness of IR. The survey consisted of 69 questions, including both Likert Scale and free text questions.

RESULTS

Of the participants, 92% preferred undergoing a minimally invasive procedure over surgery. However, 39.8% recognized IR as a medical specialty, and less than 50% of these participants correctly identified IR as procedurally oriented. Of those who discussed or underwent an IR procedure (n = 113), most were also offered to undergo the procedure performed by a surgeon (n = 66). Furthermore, 71% (n = 20) of those who underwent the procedure performed by a surgeon reported that lack of awareness of IR played a role in their decision. Almost half of the respondents (n = 458) were interested in learning more about IR, particularly the diseases treated and procedures performed (42% and 37%, respectively). Short (<10-minute) educational videos and increased patient education by primary care providers (PCPs) were among the most suggested ways to improve awareness. Regarding the ambiguity of the name "interventional radiology," most respondents (n = 555) reported this to be true, and "minimally invasive radiologist" was the most preferred alternative (21.18%).

CONCLUSIONS

Lack of awareness of IR may underlie underutilization. When presented with the knowledge that IR improves patient outcomes, minimally invasive procedures by an interventional radiologist are more often desired by the public than surgical options. Educational videos and patient education by PCPs may increase awareness of IR.

Gender Bias in YouTube Videos Describing Common Urology Conditions

OBJECTIVE

To study implicit and explicit gender biases in YouTube videos describing common urologic conditions based on language patterns, speaker gender, and speaker profession.

METHODS

Using a Boolean search, the top 30 videos for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), kidney stones, urinary tract infections (UTIs), overactive bladder (OAB), erectile dysfunction (ED), and pelvic organ prolapse (POP) were retrieved. Using the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count program (LIWC) software, video transcripts were analyzed for 16 word categories and compared by speaker gender and urology topic to assess for bias.

RESULTS

OAB and POP had the least view counts and subscribers; kidney stone and ED videos had the most. Student education channels were more likely to feature male than female speakers (19 male vs. 6 female, P=0.01). A significant difference was noted between speaker gender in BPH (25 male vs. 4 female, P<0.001), OAB (4 male vs. 22 female, P<0.001), and POP (6 male vs. 23 female, P<0.001) videos. When examining linguistic patterns with the LIWC program, female speakers were more likely to mention personal concerns and use tentative words when speaking alone compared to males.

CONCLUSIONS

Gender bias exists in YouTube videos concerning common urologic conditions. We must be mindful of how information is distributed in order to minimize the perpetuation of gender stereotypes that are common in medicine. Awareness of these patterns and biases should encourage Urologists to proactively consider how they present themselves and how they reference the conditions they present in social media outlets.

Survey of Canadian urology residency programs: Perception of virtual education during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

INTRODUCTION

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many residency programs to pivot from traditional face-to-face to virtual teaching. The objective of this study was to assess the state of virtual education in Canadian urology programs and gauge interest in a national virtual curriculum.

METHODS

An electronic 15-item survey was distributed to all 13 Canadian urology programs' directors and administrative assistants for circulation to residents. Data collection took place over six weeks from September to November 2020. A mixed-methods approach was used, including descriptive statistics and an inductive thematic analysis of responses to open-ended questions.

RESULTS

Eleven program directors and 32 residents from all four geographic areas (Atlantic, Ontario, Quebec, Western [MB, AB, BC]) responded to the survey. Overall, 95.3% of respondents indicated a role for virtual education in their program during the pandemic. Most respondents (74.4%) believe there is a significant or very significant role for a virtual national urology curriculum. All program directors indicated they are at least somewhat likely to require resident participation in such a curriculum. Most (90.6%) resident respondents indicated they believe such a curriculum will be at least somewhat important to their learning. Commonly described benefits include exposure to subspecialties, expertise at other institutions, and standardization of teaching. Commonly described barriers include difficulty with engagement, time zone differences, and lack of dedicated time for attendance.

CONCLUSIONS

During the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual education has become well-integrated in Canadian urology programs. This study highlights interest in the development of a national virtual urology curriculum and puts forth some key considerations to ensure its success.