Assessing the Impact of a Student-Led Newsletter and Social Media on Medical Student Engagement and Communication Via
Cole D Tessendorf1, Collin Olevson1, Rebecca Hofer1
1University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine.
Purpose:
Prior to the establishment of the USD Sanford School of Medicine (USD SSOM) News Group, students primarily relied on scattered communication methods-social media pages, emails, and word of mouth-to stay informed about events. USD SSOM is a community-based medical school with a nontraditional curriculum, including a Pillar system, a longitudinal integrated curriculum (LIC), and numerous clinical campuses. The USD SSOM News Group was founded to streamline communication through a weekly newsletter and official Instagram account, consolidating and promoting events. This study aimed to evaluate student perceptions of the effectiveness and value of these platforms.
Methods:
A 23-question survey was created and distributed via Qualtrics to all USD SSOM students, asking about their preferred platforms for staying informed, the most useful aspects of the newsletter and Instagram page, and suggestions for improvement. Responses were collected and analyzed to gauge student feedback on these communication tools during October 2023.
Results:
Among the 66 respondents, 57 (86%) reported using the newsletter, 35 (53%) relied on word of mouth, 27 (41%) used the "SSOM Current Students" Facebook page, and 16 (24%) frequently used the USD SSOM Instagram account for event updates. Additionally, 61 (92%) and 54 (82%) students felt the newsletter and Instagram page, respectively, improved communication for student interest groups. Overall, 54 (82%) students believed that the newsletter and Instagram page have enhanced student engagement in school activities. The most valued aspects of the newsletter were the event calendar (53/66), the list of student interest groups (52/66), and volunteer sign-ups (53/66). On Instagram, students favored "What's Happening at USD SSOM This Week" (47/66), reposts of student interest group events (33/66), and highlights featuring students, faculty, and alumni (32/66).
Conclusions:
The USD SSOM News Group has been well-received by students, with both the newsletter and Instagram page proving effective in improving communication and engagement within the school community. As more medical schools adopt non-traditional curricula, such as LICs, this approach offers a scalable solution to maintaining connectivity and engagement within decentralized medical schools.
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