P1514 - Social Media Utilization Patterns Among Gastroenterology Fellowship Programs: Insights into Program Characteristics and Regional Variances

Sushrut Ingawale, MD, MBBS¹, Vineet Upadhyaya, MBBS², Maurya Patel, MBBS³, Vineet Chandak, MBBS³, Asim Haider, MD^1
1Quinnipiac University Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine / St. Vincent's Medical Center, Bridgeport, CT; ²Terna Medical College, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India; ³Seth Gordhandas Sunderdas Medical College and King Edward Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Introduction: Social media platforms have evolved into indispensable tools for communication, outreach, and engagement across various professional sectors. This study aims to explore the adoption and utilization of social media within gastroenterology fellowship programs, focusing on how program characteristics correlate with their presence on these platforms.

Methods: A thorough review was conducted on 200 gastroenterology fellowship programs listed in the National Resident Matching Program for the year 2025. We examined the programs' visibility on prominent social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram, capturing metrics like the number of official accounts per program. Additionally, data on program size, geographical location, and institutional influence were gathered to analyze trends in social media usage.

Results: Approximately 15.5% of programs were active on Instagram, 19.5% on Twitter, and 7% maintained a presence on both platforms. Regional analysis indicated a higher prevalence of social media utilization among programs located in the Northeast and West Coast. Furthermore, programs offering a greater number of fellowship positions were significantly (p < 0.001) more likely to have a presence on social media. Larger programs tended to engage more actively on these platforms compared to smaller counterparts.

Discussion: This study underscores the strategic significance of social media in augmenting visibility and engagement strategies for gastroenterology fellowship programs. The findings suggest that leveraging social media platforms can effectively enhance recruitment efforts, especially appealing to the preferences of digitally-engaged prospective applicants in today's era.


Disclosures:


Sushrut Ingawale, MD, MBBS¹, Vineet Upadhyaya, MBBS², Maurya Patel, MBBS³, Vineet Chandak, MBBS³, Asim Haider, MD¹. P1514 - Social Media Utilization Patterns Among Gastroenterology Fellowship Programs: Insights into Program Characteristics and Regional Variances, ACG 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting Abstracts. Philadelphia, PA: American College of Gastroenterology.