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Cytopathology in Focus: Cytology social media—Facebook and Twitter as networking tools

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Kaitlin Sundling, MD, PhD
Amy C. Baruch, MD

August 2018—If you are not already using social media professionally, you may not know there is a vibrant and active community of pathologists, including many cytopathologists, on Facebook and Twitter—and getting involved is easy, fun, and educational.

Facebook and Twitter lend themselves well to sharing images, videos, and links to websites. Many pathologists share interesting, challenging, and educational cases via images and a concise clinical description, to which viewers can respond with their guess at the diagnoses. These cases are usually brief, providing great educational exercises that can be completed in minutes. Professional organizations, including the CAP, use Facebook and Twitter to share updates to guidelines and other information, including direct links to the authoritative source of the information. Connecting on social media can be an easy way to network within pathology and with other medical specialties, which can yield lasting professional relationships and spark collaborative work. Professional conferences generate a flurry of activity on social media; these posts can help you follow scientific updates and conference activities, even if you are unable to attend the event.1 Some pathologists have used social media to connect with patient support groups, which can help patients better understand their diagnoses and appreciate the pathologist’s role on the medical team.2

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