Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-10-2019
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To provide the first comprehensive analysis of the Twitter-verse amongst academic urologists and programs in North America.
METHODS: Using national accreditation and individual program websites, all active urology residency programs (USA & Canada) and academic Urology faculty at these programs were identified. Demographic data for each program (AUA section, resident class size) and physician (title, fellowship training, Scopus H-index and citations) were documented. Twitter metrics (Twitter handle, date joined, # tweets, # followers, # following, likes) for programs and physicians were catalogued (data capture: March-April 2019). Descriptive analyses and temporal trends in Twitter utilization amongst programs and physician were assessed. Multivariable (MV) logistic regression was used to identify predictors of Twitter use.
RESULTS: 156 academic programs (143 USA, 13 Canada) and 2214 academic faculty (2015 USA, 199 Canada) were identified. Twitter utilization is currently 49.3% and 34.1% amongst programs and physicians, respectively, and continues to increase. On MV analysis, programs with 3-5 residents/year and programs with a higher percentage of faculty Twitter engagement were more likely to have Twitter accounts. From a physician perspective, those with fellowship training, lower academic rank (clinical instructor, assistant professor, associate professor vs. professor) and higher H-indices were more likely to have individual Twitter accounts.
CONCLUSION: There is a steady increase in Twitter engagement amongst Urology programs and academic physicians. Faculty Twitter utilization is an important driver of program Twitter engagement. Twitter SoMe activity is strongly associated with academic productivity, and may in fact drive academic metrics. Within Urology, SoMe presence appears to be proportional to academic activity.
Recommended Citation
Chandrasekar, Thenappan; Goldberg, Hanan; Klaassen, Zachary; Wallis, Christopher J.; Leong, Joon Yau; Liem, Spencer; Teplitsky, Seth; Noorani, Rodrigo; and Loeb, Stacy, "Twitter and Academic Urology in the United States and Canada: A Comprehensive Assessment of the Twitter-verse in 2019." (2019). Department of Urology Faculty Papers. Paper 53.
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/urologyfp/53
PubMed ID
31602782
Language
English
Comments
This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Chandrasekar, T. , Goldberg, H. , Klaassen, Z. , Wallis, C. J., Leong, J. Y., Liem, S. , Teplitsky, S. , Noorani, R. and Loeb, S. (2019), Twitter and Academic Urology in the United States and Canada: A Comprehensive Assessment of the Twitter‐verse in 2019. BJU International, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/bju.14920. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.