The Power of Social Media in the Promotion and Tenure of Clinician Educators

Abstract

Introduction: Social networking sites (or social media [SM]) are powerful web-based technologies used to bolster communication. SM have changed not only how information is communicated but also the dissemination and reception of a variety of topics. This workshop highlighted the benefits of SM for clinician educators. The use of SM was explored as a way to maximize opportunities for clinician educators to network, establish themselves as experts, and build a national reputation leading to promotion. The target audience for this submission is faculty developers who would like to implement a similar workshop, and clinician-educator faculty motivated by promotion and advancement. Methods: The training workshop involved an interactive session, with approximately 20 minutes of content, 20 minutes of individual and small-group activities, and 15 minutes of large-group discussion. The effectiveness of the workshop was evaluated by asking participants to complete a postsession survey of SM knowledge, attitude, and action. Results: Survey responses (n = 14) demonstrated an increase in participants' knowledge of SM platforms, ability to identify benefits of SM, skills to disseminate their work, and eagerness to build their personal brand. Discussion: This workshop provided a foundation for clinician educators to think strategically about SM use in ways that highlight access to a broader network of colleagues and potential collaborators and that influence the impact of publications and work.

Be in the Digital Room Where it Happens, Part I: Tweeting & Technology for Career Development

“…Individuals can build their personal brand, reputation, and expertise visbility. 14 , 15 This can result in speaking opportunities, educational engagements, research collaborations, mentor-mentee relationships, or media outreach. 8 , 20 , 21 Faculty promotion and tenure committees evaluate clinicians based on educational portfolio, academic scholarship, and reputation.…”

“…A growing body of literature provides guidance on how to include these digital achievements and alternative metrics in the promotion and tenure process. 14 , 23 , 75 , 119 – 124…”

“…Hospital systems use SoMe to promote brand presence, patient education, and reputation scores. 5 An estimated 25–65% of medical professionals are using SoMe 6 – 10 for clinical outreach, 11 – 13 career development, 8 , 14 – 21 research, 15 , 22 – 33 education, 34 – 44 and advocacy efforts. 45 – 59 However, there are misconceptions, anecdotal stories, and fears surrounding a medical professional's use of SoMe use, which can foster inappropriate use, skepticism, and criticism.…”

“…Hospital systems use SoMe to promote brand presence, patient education, and reputation scores. 5 An estimated 25-65% of medical professionals are using SoMe [6][7][8][9][10] for clinical outreach, [11][12][13] career development, 8,[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21] research, 15,[22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33] education, [34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44] and advocacy efforts. [45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53]…”

Making Social Media Work for You

“…Posting board review questions is another way of creating interactive and educational SoMe content. Similar to creating a lesson or presentation, formulating educational SoMe content takes time, but can lend credence to one’s reputation as a medical educator [ 18 ]. SoMe also provides a means for self-education.…”