@MondayNightIBD and the Expanding Gastroenterology Twitterverse: A Study on Continuing Medical Education on #GITwitter

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: 

@MondayNightIBD provides weekly continuing medical education (CME) activities focused on inflammatory bowel diseases to clinicians on Twitter. Given its novelty, we assessed whether @MondayNightIBD improves learner knowledge and leads to practice change. We also examined whether inflammatory bowel disease topics addressed in @MondayNightIBD are aligned with entrustable professional activities (EPA) set forth by national gastroenterology societies.

METHODS: 

@MondayNightIBD CME sessions from February 2020 (date the handle was accredited to provide CME) to May 2021 were analyzed. Preactivity and postactivity knowledge was assessed for average score improvement using the Student t test and Cohen d effect size. Postactivity surveys examined for learners' perceptions of whether activities met educational goals and affected willingness to change clinical practice using descriptive percentages. In addition, activities from April 2019 (date of @MondayNightIBD inception) to May 2021 were assessed for whether they address EPA set forth by national gastroenterology societies.

RESULTS: 

Learners' knowledge improved after @MondayNightIBD activities with average preactivity correct answers of 58% to a postactivity average of 79% (P < 0.001). Greater than 95% of learners found that activities met learning objectives and enhanced knowledge. A total of 92% of learners were committed to practice change because of their @MondayNightIBD participation. Finally, 78% of EPA set forth by a national gastroenterology society have been covered by @MondayNightIBD since its inception.

DISCUSSION: 

@MondayNightIBD is a Twitter-based CME activities platform for gastroenterologists and other clinicians that is embraced by learners, improves knowledge, and encourages practice change. Topics covered during @MondayNightIBD are aligned with EPA set forth by national gastroenterology societies. @MondayNightIBD is a successful model of social media medical education and a novel approach to effectively provide evidence-based CME.