Recently a contentious public exchange over the diagnosis and management of surgical condition lead a young physician to leave Twitter. For some, watching this doctor virtually vaporize was the equivalent of losing a colleague. This is because our social networks have become important sources of support, information, inspiration and fellowship. The situation raises ... Continue Reading about How Doctors Learn About Social Media
Doctors Need a Webspace to Call Home
For years I have argued that doctors need webspace to park their ideas. A place that is relatively permanent. A place with an address where ideas can live and people can go. A place to call your own. This should be the home base of your digital map. But in 2020 few doctors maintain sites that are their own. Ideas have taken the shape of Twitter threads — long ... Continue Reading about Doctors Need a Webspace to Call Home
The Limits of Twitter for Debate
Dr. Saurabh Jha (aka @roguerad) recently posted this comment on the limits of Twitter: No controversial topic can be adjudicated, or meaningfully discussed, on Twitter. My Twitter motto for 2020 I shared the idea and suggested that it should be framed and put over every physician’s workspace. Some agreed. Some disagreed. Twitter for ... Continue Reading about The Limits of Twitter for Debate
Decade in review and the drama of personal success
This week has been marked by decade in review posts and tweetstorms. This from Ian Bogost on Twitter this morning: I am not sure these ‘decade-in-review’ tweetstorm summaries work once you’re not in your 20’s/30’s. Eventually you’re just ... living your life. It’s not bad, exactly, it’s just that the momentous stuff is somewhat front-loaded. There’s ... Continue Reading about Decade in review and the drama of personal success
Twitter’s Narrative Correction
On July 3rd I shared an image from an Independence Day celebration that’s a tradition in my home town. A colleague replied that celebration is difficult when children are in cages. On the morning of the 4th I opened Twitter to a short clip of a woman sobbing with the suggestion that the American flag is ‘bathed in our blood.’ Laurence Scott tells the story of a ... Continue Reading about Twitter’s Narrative Correction
OldMedTwitter – How Hashtags Impact #MedTwitter
As doctors grow in numbers on Twitter we tend to collect in silos based on ideology, etc. But know you’ve reached critical mass when we can curate tweets based on perceived generational differences among physicians. Check out #oldmedtwitter. Social media can be remarkably powerful. It can bring us together as well as pull us apart. Time will tell ... Continue Reading about OldMedTwitter – How Hashtags Impact #MedTwitter