Social media and cytopathology (#cytopath) education: developing a curated online resource index and exploring the evolution of e-learning.

Abstract

In recent years, social media (SoMe) has revolutionized medical education within the field of pathology; however, its performance in cytopathology has not been explored in detail. This systematic review aims to analyze SoMe trends, hashtag metrics, and online resources within cytopathology over the period of 7 years. A systematic review of 4 databases (PubMed, Medline, Embase, and Scopus) was conducted between January 1st, 2017, and December 22nd, 2022, in order to identify relevant English-language articles about SoMe and cytopathology. An index for online cytopathology (#cytopath) resources was created and posted on Knowledge In Knowledge Out on May 12, 2025. Sixteen studies were included for final analysis, dating from 2017 to 2023. The most commonly cited SoMe platforms used among cytopathologists were X (Twitter) (42%) and Facebook (26%) (P = 0.002). A variety of hashtags were used across posts: #Cytology (24%), #Cytopath (24%), #FNAFriday (24%), #Pathology (16%), and #Cytopathology (12%) (P = 0.865). Two studies discussed the use of SoMe in cytopathology during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting its role as a rapid communication tool in times of crisis. The most highly followed cytopathology accounts on X were @cytopathology (10,510), @IACytology (3639), and @britishcytology (3062). This systematic review shows how SoMe is enhancing networking, case discussion, and education in cytopathology. Although it could revolutionize professional communication, it still poses issues regarding privacy and possible misinformation. Future research and guidelines are necessary to optimize the use of SoMe in cytopathology.