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Yakobashvili D, Zhu A, Aftab OM, Steidl T, Mahajan J, Khouri AS. Ophthalmology residency programs on social media. Int Ophthalmol 2023; 43:4815-4819. [PMID: 37845579 DOI: 10.1007/s10792-023-02883-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE With the transition from away rotations and in-person interviews during the COVID-19 pandemic came a search for alternative methods to represent and promote residency programs. We investigated utilization of social media by ophthalmology residency programs in response to the pandemic. METHODS Social media accounts of accredited ophthalmology residency programs were found through a manual search on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Each program's geographical region (Northeast, Midwest, South, or West) was identified, and year of account creation (2009-2021) was noted. An exponential regression model was used to model total number of social media accounts over time. Comparisons of total number of social media accounts before/after the pandemic and by region, stratified by social media platform, were evaluated through chi-square analysis. RESULTS Of 125 ophthalmology residency programs, 63% (n = 79) had at least one account on a social platform. 142 acc. Instagram held the most accounts (45%, n = 64), followed by Facebook (29%, n = 41) and Twitter (26%, n = 37). From 2009 to 2021, there has been an exponential increase in social media accounts (R2 = 0.962). 45% (n = 65) of all accounts were created after March 2020. Instagram increased the most, with 45 ophthalmology residency accounts created after the pandemic as compared to 19 created prior (p < 0.001). The number of social media accounts did not vary by region. CONCLUSIONS Based on current trends, the presence of ophthalmology residency programs on social media will likely continue expanding, with major social platforms becoming a vaster source of information for ophthalmology residency applicants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Yakobashvili
- Institute of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, 185 W S Orange Ave, 90 Bergen Street, Suite 6100, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA
| | - Aretha Zhu
- Institute of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, 185 W S Orange Ave, 90 Bergen Street, Suite 6100, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA
| | - Owais M Aftab
- Institute of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, 185 W S Orange Ave, 90 Bergen Street, Suite 6100, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA
| | - Tyler Steidl
- Institute of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, 185 W S Orange Ave, 90 Bergen Street, Suite 6100, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA
| | - Jasmine Mahajan
- Institute of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, 185 W S Orange Ave, 90 Bergen Street, Suite 6100, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA
| | - Albert S Khouri
- Institute of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, 185 W S Orange Ave, 90 Bergen Street, Suite 6100, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA.
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Cohen SA, Pershing S. #Ophthalmology: Social Media Utilization and Impact in Ophthalmology Journals, Professional Societies, and Eye Health Organizations. Clin Ophthalmol 2022; 16:2989-3001. [PMID: 36092462 PMCID: PMC9451038 DOI: 10.2147/opth.s378795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim To evaluate and quantify social media presence of ophthalmology peer-reviewed journals, professional societies, and eye health organizations, and to determine if there is a correlation between social media utilization and Twitter engagement metrics or journal impact measures. Methods We searched for online profiles of 100 ophthalmology peer-reviewed journals, 333 professional ophthalmology societies, and 40 eye health organizations on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Impact was quantified by recording the number of “likes” on Facebook and number of followers on Twitter and Instagram. We also used Twitonomy software to obtain advanced Twitter metrics for all journal accounts from 2018 to 2021, and compared to journal impact measured by SCImago Journal Rank (SJR) score, the h-index, and impact factor. Results Eye health organizations averaged significantly greater Facebooks “likes” and Twitter followers than both peer-reviewed journals and professional societies (p < 0.0001). Of 100 journals studied, 30% were active on Twitter, 25% on Facebook, and 6% on Instagram. Slightly more than half of all journal-affiliated social media accounts were accessible from the journal website. Among journals with active Twitter accounts, total followers, total tweets, average retweets, and average “favorites” were all significantly positively correlated with academic metrics such as the SJR, h-index, and/or impact factor. Conclusion Greater social media engagement is associated with higher ophthalmology journal impact metrics; however, ophthalmology journals and professional societies lag behind eye health organizations in social media engagement. Although unable to demonstrate causality, social media may be an underutilized visibility, communication, and dissemination tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel A Cohen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Suzann Pershing
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
- Byers Eye Institute at Stanford, Stanford, CA, USA
- Correspondence: Suzann Pershing, Email
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Sikder A, Mehta P, Galoyan T, Parekh E, Dickhoner J, Yeghiazaryan N, Harutyunyan R, Hovhannisyan T, Lee T, Espinoza J. Using a Facebook Virtual Examination Room to Enhance ROP Training in Armenia. Clin Ophthalmol 2022; 16:2311-2322. [PMID: 35911845 PMCID: PMC9332928 DOI: 10.2147/opth.s371360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a leading cause of worldwide childhood blindness with increasing incidence in low and middle income countries (LMICs) due to advances in neonatal care. There are insufficient numbers of healthcare professionals specialized in ROP management and few local training opportunities in LMICs. Social media platforms provide a promising solution to enable interactive medical education across geographic and logistic barriers. As an adjunct to an ROP training program for ophthalmologists in Armenia, we implemented a Facebook Virtual Examination Room (VER) for case discussion with a global community of collaborators and preceptors. To evaluate training through VER, we operationalized engagement as a multilayer meta-construct that includes cognitive, behavioral, and social-emotional domains. Methods A concurrent mixed methods approach was taken to collect and analyze data from comments and activities within VER. Quantitative data was analyzed for descriptive statistics on group utilization, participant activity, and clinical metrics. Qualitative data was analyzed by conducting thematic analysis involving initial and pattern coding. Results Ten participants (7 trainees and 3 preceptors) interacted in the Facebook group across 153 unique cases, with 218 threads, 414 comments, and 216 likes. Of the 120 unique cases eligible for consensus evaluation, treatment was mentioned most frequently (87), followed by location (68), staging (65), and plus disease (31), with agreement ranging from 67% to 97%. Based on the qualitative analysis, the most common themes of discussion were clinical management, dilemma resolution, knowledge growth, and gratitude. Conclusion A closed Facebook group for case-based discussions can be a useful adjunct to an existing ROP training program by engaging learners across social-emotional, behavioral, and cognitive domains. For international training partnerships, the financial and logistical advantages can be significant, though focus should remain on the primary curriculum and training modality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abu Sikder
- Innovation Studio, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Preeya Mehta
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Tamara Galoyan
- School of Education, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Eeshika Parekh
- Innovation Studio, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - James Dickhoner
- Innovation Studio, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Thomas Lee
- Department of Surgery, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Juan Espinoza
- Division of General Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Correspondence: Juan Espinoza, Division of General Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, 4650 Sunset Blvd., Mailstop #76, Los Angeles, CA, 90027, USA, Tel +1 323.361.2721, Fax +1 323.361.4429, Email
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Shah SS, Veligandla S, Compton C, Al-khersan H, Sridhar J. Impact of Social Media on Applicant Perspectives of Ophthalmology Residency Programs. JOURNAL OF ACADEMIC OPHTHALMOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1756365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Purpose This article evaluates the relevance of social media to ophthalmology residency applicants in the setting of virtual interviews, the types of information sought by applicants, and the impact of rebranding of an institutional and departmental social media account.
Design Cross-sectional survey.
Participants Ophthalmology residency applicants from the 2020 to 2021 cycle.
Methods A voluntary survey was emailed to 481 applicants to the University of Louisville Department of Ophthalmology residency during the 2020 to 2021 application cycle to gauge the impact of social media on their perspectives of residency programs, especially with regards to a new departmental social media account.
Main Outcome Measures Applicants' use of social media platforms and specific components of departmental social media accounts found most useful.
Results The 13-question survey was completed by 84/481 applicants (17.5% response rate). Social media was used by 93% of respondents. Of those respondents reporting social media use, the most common platforms utilized included Instagram (85%), Facebook (83%), Twitter (41%), and LinkedIn (29%). Sixty-nine percent of respondents specifically used Instagram to learn more about residency programs. With regards to the rebranded Instagram account at the University of Louisville, 58% of respondents reported being influenced, with all asserting that the account positively encouraged them to apply to the program. The most informative elements of the account related to current resident profiles, resident life, and living in Louisville.
Conclusion A majority of responding ophthalmology residency applicants utilized social media to search for program information. A newly developed social media profile at a single institution positively influenced applicant impressions of the program, with the most importance assigned to information provided about current residents and typical resident life. These findings suggest key areas where programs should continue to dedicate online resources with targeted information to better recruit applicants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanket S. Shah
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky
| | - Sravya Veligandla
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky
| | - Christopher Compton
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky
| | - Hasenin Al-khersan
- Department of Clinical Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami, Florida
| | - Jayanth Sridhar
- Department of Clinical Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami, Florida
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Nguyen AAK, Tsui E, Smith JR. Social media and ophthalmology: A review. Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2022; 50:449-458. [DOI: 10.1111/ceo.14091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew A. K. Nguyen
- Flinders University College of Medicine and Public Health Flinders University Adelaide South Australia Australia
| | - Edmund Tsui
- UCLA Stein Eye Institute University of California Los Angeles California USA
| | - Justine R. Smith
- Flinders University College of Medicine and Public Health Flinders University Adelaide South Australia Australia
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Al-khersan H, Tanenbaum R, Kunkler AL, Patel NA, Sridhar J. Adoption and Use of Social Media Platforms by Ophthalmology Programs during the COVID-19 Pandemic. JOURNAL OF ACADEMIC OPHTHALMOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1743584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Purpose The aim of this study was to determine whether the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic influenced the presence of ophthalmology residency programs on social media platforms.
Methods The presence of all accredited ophthalmology residency programs on Twitter and Instagram was assessed for January 2020 and August through March 2021 through an online search. The number of followers and posts per month during these periods was collected for each program. The presence of programs on social media was compared between the two time periods.
Results The percentage of programs on Instagram rose from 18% in January of 2020 to 57% in March of 2021 (p < 0.001). On Twitter, the percentage of programs rose from 24 to 37% (p < 0.001). From January 2020 to March 2021, the mean number of Instagram followers increased from 265 to 649 (p < 0.0001), while the mean number of Twitter followers increased from 421 to 532 (p < 0.0001). The top ten ophthalmology residency programs in 2021 according to Doximity all had Instagram pages, while 57 (53%) of remaining programs had pages (p = 0.005). Meanwhile, 7 top ten programs (70%) were on Twitter compared with 36 (34%) of the remaining programs (p = 0.036).
Conclusions The presence of ophthalmology residency programs on Instagram and Twitter increased significantly after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Social media represents an evolving platform through which programs can connect with prospective residents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasenin Al-khersan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami, Florida
| | - Rebecca Tanenbaum
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Anne L. Kunkler
- Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami, Florida
| | - Nimesh A. Patel
- Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami, Florida
- Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jayanth Sridhar
- Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami, Florida
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Eatz T, Al-Khersan H, Tanenbaum R, Sridhar J. Does social media have a place in ophthalmology practice? EXPERT REVIEW OF OPHTHALMOLOGY 2021; 16:329-331. [PMID: 34899961 DOI: 10.1080/17469899.2021.1941877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany Eatz
- Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, 900 NW 7 Street Miami, FL 33136, United States of America
| | - Hasenin Al-Khersan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, 900 NW 7 Street Miami, FL 33136, United States of America
| | - Rebecca Tanenbaum
- Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, 900 NW 7 Street Miami, FL 33136, United States of America
| | - Jayanth Sridhar
- Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, 900 NW 7 Street Miami, FL 33136, United States of America
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