Social Media Use in Plastic Surgery Residency Programs | Dr. Daniel Gould

Dr. Daniel Gould co-authored research published in Aesthetic Surgery Journal examining the growing use of Instagram by plastic surgery residency programs and the importance of responsible social media practices among surgical trainees. (PubMed)

The study evaluated Instagram accounts associated with integrated plastic surgery residency programs, looking at factors such as account activity, follower numbers, and the types of content being shared. At the time of the analysis, 14 of 67 programs had active Instagram accounts, reflecting the platform's emerging role within academic plastic surgery. (Mendeley)

The researchers found that more active accounts tended to have larger audiences, suggesting that consistent participation could help residency programs expand their reach and professional visibility. The content analysis also showed that patient and intraoperative imagery represented only a small portion of posts. (Mendeley)

Beyond documenting these trends, the authors emphasized the need for thoughtful standards as social media becomes increasingly integrated into surgical education and professional communication. They proposed guidelines intended to help plastic surgery trainees navigate these platforms responsibly while maintaining appropriate professional and ethical boundaries. (PubMed)