Sarah Bowe, MD, EdM, pediatric otolaryngologist with the U.S. Air Force, director of pediatric otolaryngology with the Defense Health Agency at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, program director for the otolaryngology residency program within the San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium, and vice chair of education for the division of otolaryngology at Brooke Army Medical Center
ENTtoday: As the incoming social media coordinator, what do you hope to achieve during your tenure?
Explore This Issue
September 2024Dr. Bowe: Over the past few years, Michael Johns, MD, and the Social Media Committee established a solid social media presence, including thousands of followers across a myriad of platforms. I am grateful for the work they’ve done, as it creates a stable foundation for growth.
One of TRIO’s goals is to “encourage, support, and disseminate … the latest basic and clinical research findings and reports on evidence-based medicine” and “provide a forum for the international exchange of ideas and knowledge.” I believe these goals are intimately connected to social media. Social media platforms reach a broad audience base and can share information more rapidly than traditional media. I appreciate that this position is called social media/culture coordinator because the social media component really provides an opportunity to extend the TRIO culture out into the world. These statements also acknowledge the important connection between The Triological Society and its three leading publications, The Laryngoscope, Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology, and ENTtoday. Social media provides an opportunity to share the work being produced by these publications with a wider audience, including individuals outside the field of otolaryngology, enhancing the likelihood of collaboration and further scientific and technical advances.
Initially, I plan to learn from the members of the Social Media Committee what has worked well and where they see areas for improvement. After reviewing a series of posts from each of the platforms, most of the posts highlight content from three publications. There is also a lot of vibrancy in the posts during COSM. I would love to continue that energy throughout the year and expand the content to highlight the research grant, travel award, and thesis programs. Additionally, I think there are opportunities to create more active content, such as videos, which tend to garner more attention than static content. For instance, Reels are incredibly popular on Instagram, and the first two of these were produced during the #Trio2024 meeting. The Reels featuring the Resident Bowl and Women in Oto reception have been viewed 2,137 and 4,477 times, respectively! The joy of attendees sharing their accomplishments and participating in a spirited competition is evident. Throughout my tenure, I hope to showcase more of these vivid examples of the fellowship and community that TRIO seeks to engender.
ENTtoday: How will your career and leadership experience benefit the Society?
Dr. Bowe: Besides being an individual contributor, I have regularly engaged in scholarship to better my own understanding and use of social media. Hashtags serve as topic identifiers that are commonly used on social media platforms to allow individuals to follow specific areas of interest. Unfortunately, the lack of a standardized ontology can lead to the use of multiple overlapping hashtags, which can dilute the reach and engagement of a given post. In 2021, my colleagues and I published an initial ontology in otology and neurotology to improve the dissemination of research and ideas among patients, physicians, researchers, industry, academic societies, and patient-support organizations. (Otol Neurotol. doi: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000003170.) Shortly thereafter, Hayley Born, MD, a member of the Social Media Committee, reached out for advice on performing a similar study in laryngology, which was successfully published in 2022. (J Voice. doi: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2022.06.005.) Most recently, in 2023, my colleagues and I published a complete ontology in The Laryngoscope. (Laryngoscope. doi: 10.1002/lary.30345.) Hashtags are an essential component of social media posting, and consistent usage drives viewership.
I think one of the most important steps with social media would be to develop an ontology for The Triological Society. This would not need to be extensive, but standard language for hashtags relating to meetings and publications would be paramount. For instance, #Laryngoscope yields thousands of results, because it is connected to one of our favorite otolaryngological instruments. However, #TheLaryngoscope yields a much smaller number of results, largely associated with the journal. This would allow individuals to follow the output of the journal more seamlessly. #ENTtoday is already distinct, and one could be devised for #LaryngoscopeIO. Another addition, specifically for posts relating to the journal, would be to tag the publisher, @WileyBusiness. These organizations usually have a larger audience base, which frequently includes other healthcare professionals, thus providing additional opportunities for exposure to intellectual property. These minor adjustments could be implemented across all platforms.
Overall, social media has been embraced by the younger generations, which includes our future otolaryngologists. It is wonderful to see the composition of the Social Media Committee largely focused on residents, fellows, and early-career faculty, many of whose technical savvy surpasses my own. I see the coordinator position as an opportunity to use the research-based knowledge I have gained to support the committee members as they foster relationships with mentors, cultivate leadership and followership skills, and co-develop their vision for the future of TRIO.
ENTtoday: In your opinion, why is the Society important to the fields of otolaryngology, laryngology, and rhinology?
Dr. Bowe: Reflecting on the TRIO goals, a few keywords stand out: “attract, develop, and mentor the best otolaryngologists.” The Triological Society’s statement supporting “inclusion, diversity, and commitment to justice and respect” also speaks to me. What clearly comes across is the intention to expand and develop the next generation of otolaryngologists. This has also been a passion of mine over the past decade, which included support for the creation of Headmirror’s National Otolaryngology Interest Group (NOIG). The purpose behind NOIG is to provide high-quality educational resources to learn about the specialty and to foster a successful match with a specific focus on those individuals who face barriers, including, but not limited to, allopathic students without a home residency program, osteopathic students, and individuals underrepresented in medicine. I see similar efforts to democratize access to our specialty in the extensive support that is offered via TRIO’s travel awards. In addition, the need for guidance early in the career trajectory is exemplified in the speed networking events held at both national meetings. I feel this dedicated investment in our aspiring and future otolaryngologists occupies a unique space among the otolaryngology societies and drew me to further my involvement with TRIO.