Twitter as a tool for communication and knowledge exchange in academic medicine: A guide for skeptics and novices

Abstract

Twitter is a tool for physicians to increase engagement of learners and the public, share scientific information, crowdsource new ideas, conduct, discuss and challenge emerging research, pursue professional development and continuing medical education, expand networks around specialized topics and provide moral support to colleagues. However, new users or skeptics may well be wary of its potential pitfalls. The aims of this commentary are to discuss the potential advantages of the Twitter platform for dialogue among physicians, to explore the barriers to accurate and high-quality healthcare discourse and, finally, to recommend potential safeguards physicians may employ against these threats in order to participate productively.

Medical journals, impact and social media: an ecological study of the Twittersphere

“…These results are in line with the Twitter participation of urological journals (24.2%). 16 However, the uptake of Twitter among physicians is on the rise, 19 a trend that will hopefully extend to medical journals. Rather than identifying large numbers of Science Kardashians, the present study shows that many more journals are closer to "Popularity Franklins" -they have received disproportionately low levels of recognition and popularity than would be warranted by their scientific merit, as per Rosalind Franklin.…”

Four strategies to find, evaluate, and engage with online resources in emergency medicine

“…Other practical and valuable ways of contributing to FOAM resources include participating in the peer review of content, reporting errors in blogs or podcasts to authors, commenting and engaging in a debate, and participating in discussions by joining in Tweet chats 27 and online journal clubs 28 (e.g., #JGMEScholar 29 and #ALiEMJC 30 ).…”

Multiple Wins: Embracing Technology to Increase Efficiency and Maximize Efforts

“…To our knowledge, there is at least one such instance has led to a subsequent work of scholarship. 27 Another way to beta test an idea would be to write blog post sharing your early work on an educational intervention so that you may share these ideas openly with colleagues. Venues where you might submit an early report of an interesting educational idea include ALiEM.com's Ideas in Didactics and Educational Activities series or CanadiEM.org's Featured Education Innovations series.…”