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Social Media Adoption by Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residencies Predicts Increased Residency Applications

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Physicians from the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio have published a report examining the relationship between social media adoption by physical medicine and rehabilitation residencies and the number of National Resident Matching Program applications. The study found that 67 out of 88 physical medicine and rehabilitation residency programs had Instagram accounts, 45 had Twitter accounts, and 41 had both. The introduction of virtual interviews and the COVID-19 pandemic correlated with an increase in social media adoption.

Key Takeaways:

  • 67 out of 88 (77%) physical medicine and rehabilitation residency programs had Instagram accounts, while 45 (51%) had Twitter accounts and 41 (47%) had both.
  • Residency programs with active Instagram or Twitter accounts had more National Resident Matching Program applications (F(2,85) = 7.49, P = 0.001).
  • Programs with Instagram accounts (P = 0.03) or Twitter accounts (P = 0.03) received more residency applications.
  • Presence of a Twitter account (coefficient 37.3, P = 0.04, 95% confidence interval 1.71-72.96) and program size (coefficient 77.9, P = 0.02, 95% confidence interval 4.14-151.65) were significant predictors of increased residency applications.
  • Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that programs with larger sizes and those adopting Twitter had more applicants in 2020-2021.
  • Future research is needed to determine how social media activity impacts residency applicant decision making.

Statistics:

  • 67 out of 88 (77%) physical medicine and rehabilitation residency programs had Instagram accounts.
  • 45 out of 88 (51%) had Twitter accounts, and 41 (47%) had both.
  • 40, 60% of Instagram accounts and 19 (42%) Twitter accounts were opened during the 2020-2021 application cycle.
  • F(2,85) = 7.49, P = 0.001, indicating that residency programs with active social media accounts received more applications.
  • Coefficient for presence of a Twitter account = 37.3, P = 0.04, 95% confidence interval 1.71-72.96.
  • Coefficient for program size (i.e., number of residents) = 77.9, P = 0.02, 95% confidence interval 4.14-151.65.

Sources:

  • NewsRx. Researchers from University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio Report on Findings in Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Medicine (Social Media Adoption and Utilization By Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency Programs and ...). Medical Letter on the CDC & FDA. June 15, 2025; p 685.
  • Social Media Adoption and Utilization By Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency Programs and Implications for Remote Resident Recruitment. American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, 2025;104(5):478-484.
  • American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Two Commerce Sq, 2001 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19103, USA.

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