Read on Twitter
Tonight, I’ll be speaking to med students from across the US at the #ChoosingWiselySTARS Leadership Summit. We’ll be discussing the role of social media in leading change and building momentum. My thesis? Social media provides four unique benefits that facilitate these goals:
Benefit #1 – Learning
Learning plays a key role in advancing our causes (in our case, high-value care and health care affordability). The more you learn about a topic, the more prepared you are to lead and use that information in the classroom, clinic, and community settings.
Learning plays a key role in advancing our causes (in our case, high-value care and health care affordability). The more you learn about a topic, the more prepared you are to lead and use that information in the classroom, clinic, and community settings.
And what better place to learn than social media? These platforms, especially Twitter, are quickly becoming the world's digital classroom. You can learn from clinicians, researchers, and institutions from all over the world - for free.
Learning takes many different forms on social media, including resource sharing (along with associated hashtags, such as #FOAMed), Twitter threads/Tweetorials, lived experiences, and connections with educational institutions (both traditional and novel).
Need an example of the type of learning that can take place on Twitter? Check out this #Tweetorial from @AvrahamCooperMD exploring the connection between weight training and 
muscle size (it’s a lot more fun than reading the same info in First Aid…): https://twitter.com/AvrahamCooperMD/status/1345753985467224064?s=20
muscle size (it’s a lot more fun than reading the same info in First Aid…): https://twitter.com/AvrahamCooperMD/status/1345753985467224064?s=20
Remember that there are similar #Tweetorials, threads, and resources shared in nearly every field of medicine, from basic science and pathophysiology to policy and health care economics. But what if a thread or resource doesn’t exist for the topic you want to learn about? Well…
Benefit #2 – Teaching
Twitter also provides an excellent platform for teaching. Using the methods described above, med students are in a prime position to serve as teachers. Teaching the subject in a thread allows you to synthesize/summarize key info in a concise format.
Twitter also provides an excellent platform for teaching. Using the methods described above, med students are in a prime position to serve as teachers. Teaching the subject in a thread allows you to synthesize/summarize key info in a concise format.
For our STARS students – think about the teaching you’d like to do! Can you explain the value equation to your followers? What about Choosing Wisely? Time-driven activity-based costing? There are so many topics to teach about as you build momentum around these critical issues.
Alright, so we’ve done some learning, and we’ve done some teaching too. But what about when we want to create new knowledge? Study new techniques? Determine the value of a new test, treatment, or procedure? Well, it turns out social media works well for that too…
Benefit #3 – Research
Twitter is an outstanding place to be if you’re a researcher. New articles and research updates are shared every day, and you have the opportunity to distribute your own work too. Conversations around methods, data, and analysis are happening constantly.
Twitter is an outstanding place to be if you’re a researcher. New articles and research updates are shared every day, and you have the opportunity to distribute your own work too. Conversations around methods, data, and analysis are happening constantly.
If you’re looking to lead change and build momentum around important topics, staying up-to-date on the literature certainly helps. It also provides you with both examples *and* evidence to use in conversations, meetings, and policy development.
If you’re using Twitter for research, here are some things to consider: follow journals to see their most recent articles, follow both established researchers and trainees, share your updates and progress, and ask for help when needed.
In fact, Twitter has even become its own area of research. The use of Twitter and other social media platforms has influenced how we disseminate our findings, sparking research into practices like visual abstracts.
Link for more details
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5854aaa044024321a353bb0d/t/5a527aa89140b76bbfb2028a/1515354827682/VisualAbstract_Primer_v4_1.pdf
Link for more details
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5854aaa044024321a353bb0d/t/5a527aa89140b76bbfb2028a/1515354827682/VisualAbstract_Primer_v4_1.pdf
And finally, once all the learning, teaching, and research has happened, what’s left to do?... Networking!
Benefit #4 – Networking
Twitter is helpful for both the “what you know” and the “who you know.” Building your network is key as a student leader and change agent. This platform gives you the chance to network with students/trainees, your local community, and faculty members.
Twitter is helpful for both the “what you know” and the “who you know.” Building your network is key as a student leader and change agent. This platform gives you the chance to network with students/trainees, your local community, and faculty members.
