Survey of Social Media Use for Surgical Education During Covid-19

JSLS. 2020 Oct-Dec;24(4):e2020.00072. doi: 10.4293/JSLS.2020.00072.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the use of social media platforms by medical students, surgical trainees, and practicing surgeons for surgical education during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Methods: An online, 15-question survey was developed and posted on Facebook and WhatsApp closed surgeon groups.

Results: The online survey was completed by 219 participants from South America (87%), North America (7%), Europe (5%), Central America, and Asia. Respondents included medical students (6.4%), surgical residents/fellows (24.2%), and practicing surgeons (69.4%). The most common age group was 35-44 years. When asked which social media platforms they preferred, the video sharing site YouTube (33.3%), the messaging app WhatsApp (21%), and "other" (including videoconferencing sites) (22.3%) were most popular. Respondents reported using social media for surgical education either daily (38.4%) or weekly (45.2%), for an average of 1-5 hours/week. Most (85%) opined that surgical conferences that were cancelled during the pandemic should be made available online, with live discussions.

Conclusion: Social media use for surgical education during Covid-19 appears to be increasing and evolving.

Keywords: Covid-19; Medical education; Medical students; Pandemic; Resident; Social media; Surgical education; Virtual learning.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Americas / epidemiology
  • Asia / epidemiology
  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • COVID-19* / prevention & control
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Education, Distance / methods*
  • Education, Distance / statistics & numerical data
  • Education, Medical / methods*
  • Education, Medical / trends
  • Europe / epidemiology
  • Female
  • General Surgery / education*
  • General Surgery / trends
  • Global Health
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pandemics
  • Social Media / trends*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Young Adult