587 #ILookLikeASurgeon: How Social Media Can Help Change the Face of Surgery
Chloe Lowe- Surgery
Abstract
Aim
This study was conducted to assess the benefit of using Twitter hashtags in campaigns that promote diversity and inclusivity amongst the medical workforce, specifically the surgical gender disparity discourse. Hashtags were assessed by their ability to establish the main issues faced by current female-identifying trainees and in promoting engagement with the movement.
Method
Five Twitter hashtags, specific to the surgical gender inclusivity discourse were examined: #ILookLikeASurgeon, #MedBikini, #WomenInSurgery, #OperateWithRespect, and #HammerItOut. Phase One involved the manual collection and thematic analysis of tweets to identify the main areas of gender disparity affecting trainees. Phase Two consulted TweetBinder to yield analytical information on hashtag engagement.
Results
Three-hundred-and-fifteen tweets were collected, with five main themes of gender-based disparity identified: sexism, bullying, sexual harassment, patients’ perceptions, and pay and job disparity. Female-identifying students and trainees describe experiencing exclusionary microaggressions, whilst bullying practices, and incidences of sexual harassment, have made surgery a hostile work environment for some. Structurally, the surgical curriculum remains limited in the support of non-clinical caring responsibilities, resulting in great pay disparity and global under-representation in the field. Hashtags increased the scale of the online discourse and outreach of the tweets, helping to promote the movement and increase engagement.
Conclusion
Following topical hashtags, thematic analysis of tweets can establish the main areas of gender disparity in surgery. Hashtags promote engagement from users globally and outside of the field, generating an impactful online discourse. The findings of this study reflect contemporary literature but personalise the statistics reported to further drive cultural change.