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What began as a platform for celebrities to share what they had for breakfast has evolved into a powerful professional tool. Twitter has shifted from novelty to utility, with physicians using the platform to drive scientific discussion 280 characters at a time.

We explored the worlds of #NephTwitter, #DermPath, #4n6 and #CardioTwitter, as well as #ColorectalSurgery and #OncoTwitter, to learn how eight leading physicians use social media in their careers. Collectively, these physician-influencers have more than 145,000 followers and regularly capture the attention of changemakers, high-impact journals, and organizations worldwide. Their influence extends beyond social media into their respective specialties.

Meet the influencers:

Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH (@DLBhattMD), cardiologist, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Nicole Jackson, MD, MPH, FASCP (@NicoleJacksonMD), forensic pathologist, King County Medical Examiner’s Office and University of Washington Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology
Erin King-Mullins, MD, FACS, FASCRS (@EKing719), colorectal surgeon, Georgia Colon and Rectal Surgical Associates
Christine Ko, MD (@ChristineJKoMD), dermatologist and dermatopathologist, Yale University
Matthew Sparks, MD (@Nephro_Sparks), nephrologist, Duke University
Joel Topf, MD, FACP (@kidney_boy), nephrologist, St. Clair Nephrology
Jack West, MD (@JackWestMD), medical oncologist, City of Hope
Steven Wexner, MD, PhD, FACS (@Swexner), colorectal surgeon, Cleveland Clinic Florida

Why they tweet

What motivated these physicians to join Twitter? For Bhatt, it was about amplifying research. “I joined Twitter in 2009 to get the word out about research and trainees I’m involved with,” he said. “Twitter helps amplify awareness of research.”

Jackson joined in 2018 after encouragement at the Association of Pathology Chairs Annual Meeting. “They discussed it as an easy way to connect and network within our small pathology—and especially forensic pathology—community across the nation and globe,” she said.

For others, the COVID-19 pandemic sparked their social media presence. Ko began using Twitter while home with her son during virtual schooling. “We started making dermatopathology videos and posting them on YouTube, but we weren’t getting much traffic,” she said. “When I started sharing them on Twitter, we began gaining followers.”

King-Mullins, founder of Corona Mamas (@CoronaMama1), initially sought guidance from physician-mothers on #MedTwitter. “I quickly realized all parents were struggling,” she said. What began as a support space for new and expecting mothers evolved into a broader community for moms navigating the pandemic.

When opportunity tweets

Social media has created opportunities for collaboration on a global scale. Topf, who has more than 47,000 followers, said his online presence has led to grand rounds invitations, podcast appearances, review articles, and research collaborations. “I’ve edited two medical textbooks in the past five years due to connections made through social media,” he said.

Sparks, Topf’s colleague and co-creator of nephrology initiatives such as #NephMadness, sees Twitter as a tool for professional growth. “I use Twitter to grow and learn and to be a better physician,” he said. “It gives you insight into specialties you wouldn’t normally interact with.”

Jackson cited Twitter as a catalyst for numerous professional opportunities, including podcast appearances, editorial collaborations addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion in pathology, and the formation of the Society of Black Pathologists (@SBPathologists). Through the platform, she also learned about and was selected as a 2021 ASCP 40 Under Forty Top 6 honoree, leading to national speaking engagements, media features, and mentorship opportunities worldwide.

Wexner said Twitter has allowed him to mentor physicians he has never met in person. “I’ve connected with physicians across the U.S. and Canada, as well as Egypt, Nigeria, Nepal, Europe, and Latin America,” he said. He also uses the platform to disseminate educational content, recruit research participants, and support his editorial role with Surgery and his communications work with the American College of Surgeons.

King-Mullins described the platform as a source of connection and personal growth. “I’ve found friends, collaborations, and opportunities,” she said, including radio appearances and writing opportunities. “The biggest opportunity has been learning, growing, and being unapologetically myself.”

Social media in the classroom

Social media’s influence is particularly strong in nephrology. The Nephrology Social Media Collective Internship (@NSMCInternship), led by Sparks, trains future nephrologists to curate and create free open-access medical education, or FOAMed. Participants learn to engage professionally through resources such as Freely Filtered, NephJC, Renal Fellow Network, and NephSIM.

“Twitter mastery is an essential skill,” said Topf, an executive board member and faculty member of the internship. “Many trainees have used social media since middle school. They are already enriching the space and represent a bright future.”

In some specialties, participation in Twitter-based journal clubs can fulfill continuing medical education requirements. In 2016, the Journal of Hospital Medicine became the first PubMed-indexed internal medicine journal to offer AMA Category 1 CME credit for Twitter journal club participation. In 2019, #ASEchoJC became the first moderated cardiology Twitter journal club to offer CME credit. Other programs, including Duke University Orthopedics and the Society for Vascular Medicine, have followed suit.

Keeping it positive

While social media can be contentious, many physicians emphasize intentional use. “I unfollow people regularly,” Topf said. “If my timeline becomes negative, I prune it to keep Twitter a positive space.”

Jackson described #PathTwitter as largely encouraging and educational, though she avoids engaging in conflict unless misinformation is involved. Bhatt stressed professionalism. “A tweet exists forever,” he said. “Post only what you can stand behind.”

“Authenticity still matters,” West said. Sparks added, “Social media is an extension of everyday life. If you treat it that way, the risk is low.”

Used thoughtfully, platforms such as Twitter can be effective tools for networking, collaboration, education, and community building.

Are you a physician-influencer? We are preparing Part 2 of The Science of Social Media and are interviewing physicians across specialties. Topics will include TikTok, science celebrities, the K-index, and more. Contact Kristin at kmitchener@instapathbio.com or direct message @instapathbio on Twitter.

References

1. Desai T. Merging the traditional with the new: CME-accredited Twitter journal clubs. medRxiv. 2020.

2. Thamman R, Desai T, Weiner D, Swaminathan M. #ASEchoJC Twitter journal club to CME: A paradigm shift in cardiology education. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2020;33:A29–A35.