Abstract Details

Title @NMatch2021: A Social Media Initiative Supporting Participants of the 2021 Neurology Residency Application Cycle

Topic Research Methodology, Education, and History

Presentation(s) Research Methodology and Education Posters (7:00 AM-5:00 PM)

Poster/Presentation
Number 053

Background The National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) Main Residency Match is a high stakes process for prospective candidates and residency programs. The COVID-19 pandemic posed several challenges to this already complex process. On March 17, 2020, the Association of American Medical Colleges released an official statement urging medical institutions to halt medical education temporarily. On May 11, 2020, the Coalition for Physician Accountability made a statement discouraging away rotations for the 2020-21 academic year and in-person interviews for the 2021 NRMP. With these changes, social media became a new platform for students to build connections with peers and educators, and for residency programs to recruit.

Objective We sought to utilize the networking, education, and information-sharing capabilities of Twitter and Instagram to support participants of the 2021 neurology residency application cycle. The @NMatch2021 Twitter and Instagram accounts were created to leverage these characteristics and provide centralized resources.

Design/Methods @NMatch2021 was founded on Twitter on June 28, 2020, and on Instagram on September 9, 2020. These accounts served as centralized platforms for education, communication, and resource sharing between a community of prospective applicants, residents, and faculty in neurology.

Results As of September 20, 2020, @NMatch2021 Twitter had 1,439 followers composed of 1,332 individual accounts and 107 residency programs with 2,414 tweets, generating a total of 763,300 impressions. The @NMatch2021 Instagram account had 624 followers composed of 505 personal accounts and 119 residency programs, with 31,263 total views.

Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a rapid increase in the quantity of information shared on social media, which will likely continue in future residency application cycles. In this setting, the feasibility, utility, and widespread reach of the @NMatch2021 initiative has been demonstrated, and outlines a framework for similar social media initiatives to provide valuable resources for years to come.

Authors/Disclosures
Dylan F. Del Papa, MD PRESENTER	Dr. Del Papa has nothing to disclose.
Adriana Ramirez Roggio, MD (Aspire at Redwood Apartments)	Dr. Ramirez Roggio has nothing to disclose.
Alvin P. Singh, MD (UCLA Medical Center)	Mr. Singh has nothing to disclose.
Justine Ker, MD (University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center)	Dr. Ker has nothing to disclose.