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Social Media Popularity and Academic Productivity in Academic Plastic Surgery: A Positive Correlation

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Abstract

Background

Social media is a powerful tool that has empowered plastic surgeons to easily collaborate with one another and rapidly publicize research progression. The present study investigates the relationship between academic productivity and social media presence among both integrated and independent plastic surgery programs and their faculty.

Methods

Plastic surgery programs on the American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeons website were included. Faculty were identified via review of each program’s website. Following metrics of academic productivity were collected for each faculty member: h-index, i10-index, number of publications, and number of citations. Online review was then conducted to identify faculty and program Instagram and Twitter accounts, and the number of associated followers and posts.

Results

Integrated plastic surgery programs were more likely to have an Instagram account (p < 0.001), have higher average faculty h-index (p = 0.027), i10-index (p = 0.027), and number of publications (p = 0.042). A number of Instagram followers were significantly associated with average faculty h-index (p < 0.001), i10-index (p < 0.001), and number of publications (p < 0.001). The number of posts on a program’s Instagram significantly predicted average faculty h-index (p < 0.001), i10-index (p < 0.001), and number of publications (p < 0.001). Twitter followers were significantly associated with average faculty h-index (p = 0.0397), i10-index (p = 0.0432), and number of citations (p = 0.00737).

Conclusions

The present study reveals a correlation between metrics of social media popularity and academic productivity of plastic surgeons. We propose that Instagram and Twitter are effective tools with which plastic surgeons may not only publicize their clinical practice, but also rapidly disseminate important innovations among the medical community.

  • Integrated plastic surgery programs and their faculty have significantly higher utilization of social media platforms.

  • The number of followers and posts on a program’s Instagram have a significantly positive correlation with average faculty’s academic productivity.

  • Social media platforms may empower academic plastic surgeons to disseminate their innovations on a larger scale.

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Acknowledgements

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Clinical Science Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 600 Highland Avenue, Box 3236, Madison, WI, 53792, USA

    Alison M. Mueller, Kasey Leigh Wood Matabele, Armin Edalatpour, Jacob M. Marks & Ahmed M. Afifi

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  1. Alison M. Mueller
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  2. Kasey Leigh Wood Matabele
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Correspondence to Ahmed M. Afifi.

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Mueller, A.M., Wood Matabele, K.L., Edalatpour, A. et al. Social Media Popularity and Academic Productivity in Academic Plastic Surgery: A Positive Correlation. Aesth Plast Surg 47, 2150–2158 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-023-03605-7

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