Social Media Use among Orthopedic Trauma Fellowship-trained Surgeons

Objective:  To quantify the use of social media platforms by orthopedic traumatologists with an emphasis on demographic, practice-based, and regional differences. Materials and Methods:  Using the Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) membership database, online searches were performed to identify professional profiles on numerous social media platforms. This presence was then quantified by a cumulative social media score which was correlated to the demographic information collected. Results:  In total, 1,262 active fellowship-trained orthopedic traumatologists were identified. Surgeons practicing in an academic setting were found to be more likely to use numerous social media platforms and to present an overall greater social media score than those in private practices. No significant differences in use were found based on practice region. Conclusion:  Social media platforms are currently underused by orthopedic traumatologists. Level of Evidence:  IV.