3 reasons to ❤️ posting on Twitter/X
100 years ago, physicians read medical journals.
Today, we're on social media. Liking, posting and reposting. And we are never going back!
Why do clinicians love social media? 3 reasons:
Conversations with colleagues
News and research updates
Influence and status
Conversations with colleagues
For clinicians, Twitter/X is a real-time conversation platform.
Explained Dr. Jeffrey Millstein, "Twitter allows me to exchange ideas with physicians and others around the world with whom I share career interests. I can float ideas, assess enthusiasm for topics, and even find potential partners for collaborative projects."
Clinicians especially love Twitter polls. ❤️
With polls, physicians can share challenging cases. In the words of patient advocate Liza Bernstein, "the ability to rapidly ask and answer questions and share experiences and data can be a game changer."
Dr. Giannis Mountzios at University of Athens School of Medicine shared a Twitter poll
News and research updates
For clinicians, Twitter offers quick news and research updates.
According to gastroenterologist Dr. Keith Siau, there are many reasons why Twitter is better than medical journals:
Dr. Keith Siau at NHS Trust posted a Top 10 list on Twitter
And Instagram offers images + video. ⭐
From Dr. Michael Javid: "In the last 6 months, I have learned more medicine from Instagram than any other source." Here’s an example from oncologist Dr. Eric Singhi:
Dr. Eric Singhi at MD Anderson posted an Instagram video
Influence and status
For clinicians, Twitter can level up your influence.
Physicians can collaborate with peers worldwide. From anesthesiologist Dr. Ed Mariano: "I get feedback and peer review from colleagues around the world. After a recent publication that I tweeted, I received comments from anesthesiologists in Canada and Europe within an hour!"
Twitter can also lead to new opportunities. 💡
With over 22,000 followers, medical oncologist Dr. H. Jack West serves as an advisor or consultant to 9 pharmaceutical companies including AstraZeneca and Roche.
Social media trends will continue
In 2020, we saw a 35% increase in the number of HCPs using social media for professional reasons. Today, 85% of oncologists and PCPs use social media. By 2026, 75% of clinicians will be digital natives.
They won’t be reading medical journals. But they will be on Twitter and Instagram. 💯