Multivariate Analysis of Social Media Content by United States Orthopaedic Residency Program Directors

The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to analyze how orthopaedic program directors (PDs) use their public social media accounts to connect with followers. Orthopaedic residency PDs' (n = 202) Instagram accounts were evaluated for type of account (public versus private), followers/following, and posts. The most common forms used were Doximity (98%) and LinkedIn (52.5%), followed by Instagram (33%), Facebook (14%), and Twitter (12.8%). Of the 67 (33%) PDs with personal Instagram accounts, there was a higher proportion of personal content posts 525 (55%) (p < 0.01). Educational content was identified in 19% of posts. There was a larger number of followers for PDs with public Instagram accounts (324 +/- 400) compared to those with private accounts (145 +/- 183) (p = 0.016). Social media is a way for PDs to display their program and reach a broader audience. There is significant room for growth by PDs to increase the volume of educational and academic content. Further research is needed to determine optimal social media educational and academic impact for PDs. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 35(2):095-097, 2026).