Ten Year Update on the Online and Social Media Presence of Australian and New Zealand Urologists

BACKGROUND: Social media is frequently used by clinicians to establish their professional identity, but engagement remains dubious. A 2015 study of Australian and New Zealand urologists demonstrated widespread use of social media, though no follow-up study has been conducted. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of urologists identified on the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons 'Find a Surgeon' page or on a group practice website. A thorough search on 'Google' and individual platforms (LinkedIn, X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok) was performed to identify professional websites and social media accounts associated with each urologist. RESULTS: Amongst 516 urologists identified across Australia and New Zealand, most had a business website (79.0%). The mean number of social media accounts per individual was 1.72. LinkedIn (60.9%) was the most popular social media platform. Facebook (34.3%) and X (31.4%) were also commonly used by urologists. Few personal accounts on X (26.8%), Facebook (11.5%) and Instagram (21.8%) were active. Video-based platforms had the poorest uptake, with 8.3% of urologists identifiable on YouTube and 1.2% on TikTok. Academic urologists were significantly more likely to have a social media presence. There was a parabolic decline in social media use with more years since medical qualification, most notable on Facebook and X. CONCLUSION: The number of urologists with a professional website has increased substantially in the past decade, with a moderate rise in overall social media use. Most social media accounts are inactive. Unlike their international counterparts, ANZ urologists appear to have retreated to conservative digital platforms.