Addressing Gender Disparities in Professional Visibility: Insights from Social Media Engagement in Hematology Oncology Education

Introduction/Background/Significance: Gender disparities in professional visibility remain a significant barrier to achieving equity in oncology and hematology education. Women represent only 34% of speakers at major oncology conferences and author just 37% of high-impact oncology publications. MedNews Week (MNW), a global platform dedicated to addressing medical misinformation and promoting inclusivity, was established to combat these inequities. This study aimed to evaluate social media engagement for keynote speakers, focusing on fostering equity and inclusivity in professional visibility.

Materials and Methods/Case Presentation/Objective: MedNews Week (MNW) hosted 20 speakers during Years 2 and 3 of its programming. Social media engagement metrics were collected and analyzed for male and female speakers across five platforms: Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Metrics included average engagements per post (likes, shares, comments) and overall engagement trends. Gender-specific differences in engagement were evaluated using statistical analyses, including independent t-tests, to determine significance. Data were aggregated and normalized to account for variations in platform algorithms and audience size.

Results/Description/Main Outcome Measures: Male speakers achieved nearly three times the total engagement of female speakers, averaging 12,528 compared to 8,190 engagements. However, a t-test revealed no statistically significant difference in overall engagement between genders (t = -0.33, p = 0.75). Twitter emerged as the leading platform for both genders, with male speakers averaging 46,870 engagements compared to 37,717 for females. Female speakers outperformed on TikTok, achieving an average of 94 engagements, where no male presence was recorded, and showed near parity on LinkedIn (2,849 for females vs. 2,901 for males). On YouTube, female speakers demonstrated higher engagement, averaging 85 versus 61 for males. These results highlight systemic disparities in traditional platforms while showcasing the potential of emerging platforms to amplify female voices.

Conclusions: Although male speakers garnered higher overall engagement, the findings underscore the potential of emerging platforms like TikTok and YouTube to reduce gender disparities in professional visibility. These insights emphasize the need for targeted strategies leveraging innovative platforms to foster inclusivity and equity in hematology and oncology education.