Next Article in Journal
Effect of Foot Orthoses and Footwear in People with Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Updated Systematic Review
Previous Article in Journal
Development and Validation of the Communities Geriatric Mild Cognitive Impairment Risk Calculator (CGMCI-Risk)
 
 
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Article

The Use of Social Media in Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery Education: A Cross-Sectional Survey of German-Speaking Residents and Medical Students

1
Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, University Medical Centre Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
2
Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Traumatology, Witten/Herdecke University, Sana Medical Center, Aachener Str. 445-449, 51109 Cologne, Germany
3
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Vincentius-Diakonissen-Kliniken gAG, Steinhauserstraße 18, 76135 Karlsruhe, Germany
4
Department of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Orthopädische Klinik Paulinenhilfe, Diakonieklinikum, Rosenbergstrasse 38, 70192 Stuttgart, Germany
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Healthcare 2024, 12(20), 2016; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12202016
Submission received: 10 September 2024 / Revised: 25 September 2024 / Accepted: 26 September 2024 / Published: 10 October 2024

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Social media has become a significant part of daily life, with platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp dominating usage. The COVID-19 pandemic further increased social media activity, including within the orthopedic community due to restrictions on physical gatherings. Despite the benefits of instant access to educational resources and interaction with experts, the lack of regulated editorial oversight on social media raises concerns about misinformation and privacy. This study aimed to evaluate the role of social media in orthopedic and trauma surgery education, focusing on platform use, user behavior, and engagement with educational content. Methods: A web-based survey was distributed to 912 residents and 728 medical students from the German-speaking Association for Arthroscopy and Joint Surgery (AGA) between June and July 2022. The questionnaire included 21 items covering demographics, platform use, activity patterns, engagement with educational content, and concerns about privacy. Results: Of the 339 respondents (129 medical students), 87% reported daily social media use, primarily via smartphones (93%). The most commonly used platforms were WhatsApp (84%), Instagram (68%), and YouTube (54%). About 26% of the content consumed was related to orthopedics or trauma surgery. While 70% engaged with specialist content by liking, commenting, or sharing, only 32% posted their own content. Additionally, 77% followed healthcare professionals or institutions, and 65% benefited from case presentations with images. Notably, 15% observed content that could violate patient privacy. Conclusions: Orthopedic residents and students are high-volume social media users but engage more passively with professional content. While most value educational material, concerns about privacy violations and inappropriate posts remain prevalent.
Keywords: social media; healthcare; residents; education; content social media; healthcare; residents; education; content

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Schmidt, S.; Darwich, A.; Leutheuser, S.; Krahl, D.; Navas, L. The Use of Social Media in Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery Education: A Cross-Sectional Survey of German-Speaking Residents and Medical Students. Healthcare 2024, 12, 2016. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12202016

AMA Style

Schmidt S, Darwich A, Leutheuser S, Krahl D, Navas L. The Use of Social Media in Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery Education: A Cross-Sectional Survey of German-Speaking Residents and Medical Students. Healthcare. 2024; 12(20):2016. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12202016

Chicago/Turabian Style

Schmidt, Sebastian, Ali Darwich, Sebastian Leutheuser, Daniel Krahl, and Luis Navas. 2024. "The Use of Social Media in Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery Education: A Cross-Sectional Survey of German-Speaking Residents and Medical Students" Healthcare 12, no. 20: 2016. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12202016

APA Style

Schmidt, S., Darwich, A., Leutheuser, S., Krahl, D., & Navas, L. (2024). The Use of Social Media in Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery Education: A Cross-Sectional Survey of German-Speaking Residents and Medical Students. Healthcare, 12(20), 2016. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12202016

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop