Diego L Lima, MD1, Gustavo L Carvalho, MD, phD2, Flavio Malcher, MD, MSc3, Phillip P Shadduck, MD4, Gustavo H Belarmino de Goes, Medical Student2. 1State Servers Hospital, 2University of Pernambuco, 3Director of Clinical Research, Florida Hospital, Celebration Center for Surgery, Orlando, Forida, USA, 4North Carolina Specialty Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, and Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
Background: Engagement with social media is increasing within medical professionals. There are many different platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp, Twitter, Telegram, and so on. The aim of this study is to evaluate how surgeons who use these platforms interact and how social media can contribute for surgical education
Methods: A google survey was posted on different groups of facebook. These restricted groups are formed only by general surgeons, general surgery residents, and medical students: IHC (international Hernia Collaboration), RSC (Robotic Surgery Collaboration), and Mini Friends. They were asked the following questions: How often do you look for surgical education on social media?; Do you publish in surgical groups on social media difficult cases that you need other opinions of how to manage the case?; Do you comment on other surgeons cases who ask for help on difficult cases? Would you consider changing your practice (your surgical technique) based on other surgeon experience published on social media?; Have you already changed your practice based on other surgeon experience published on social medial? Do you think it is OK to publish cases on restricted surgical groups on social media? Do you think it is important this connection with surgeons around the globe through social media to discuss patient management? In How many groups do you participate?
Results: The survey was answered by 309 participants. 65% (201) look for surgical education everyday. 59.5% publish in social media their difficult cases to discuss with other surgeons. 78.6% comment on other surgeons cases who ask for help. 85.4% would consider changing their practice based on other surgeons tips or tricks published on social media. 62.5% have already changed their practice based in experiences published in social media. 278 (90%) participants see no problem in publishing cases in restricted groups. 56.6% participate in more than three groups.
Conclusions: Social media is a new and important tool for surgical education. More and more surgeons are joining restricted groups to discuss surgical techniques, manuscripts, etc in a daily basis. This is a preliminary result of the branch with surgeons who participate in those groups. Another population of surgeons that are not in these groups are going to be studied and a full statistical analysis will be performed.
Presented at the SAGES 2017 Annual Meeting in Houston, TX.
Abstract ID: 86610
Program Number: P319
Presentation Session: iPoster Session (Non CME)
Presentation Type: Poster
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