The Power of Social Media in the Promotion and Tenure of Clinician Educators

Abstract

Introduction: Social networking sites (or social media [SM]) are powerful web-based technologies used to bolster communication. SM have changed not only how information is communicated but also the dissemination and reception of a variety of topics. This workshop highlighted the benefits of SM for clinician educators. The use of SM was explored as a way to maximize opportunities for clinician educators to network, establish themselves as experts, and build a national reputation leading to promotion. The target audience for this submission is faculty developers who would like to implement a similar workshop, and clinician-educator faculty motivated by promotion and advancement. Methods: The training workshop involved an interactive session, with approximately 20 minutes of content, 20 minutes of individual and small-group activities, and 15 minutes of large-group discussion. The effectiveness of the workshop was evaluated by asking participants to complete a postsession survey of SM knowledge, attitude, and action. Results: Survey responses (n = 14) demonstrated an increase in participants' knowledge of SM platforms, ability to identify benefits of SM, skills to disseminate their work, and eagerness to build their personal brand. Discussion: This workshop provided a foundation for clinician educators to think strategically about SM use in ways that highlight access to a broader network of colleagues and potential collaborators and that influence the impact of publications and work.