#Anatomynotes: A temporal content analysis of anatomy education posts on Instagram

Abstract

AbstractSocial media platforms such as Instagram are becoming increasingly popular sources for students to access anatomy educational resources. This review used content analysis to examine posts under the hashtag #anatomynotes and is the first to map the characteristics of anatomy education posts on Instagram and determine any temporal changes. Sample posts were gathered from April 2019 and April 2021 and categorized according to the technical format, purpose and author credentials. Engagement was recorded in the form of likes and comments. Overall, posts depicting illustrations remained the most popular format within both time periods. Three‐dimensional models saw an increase in popularity with a 62.5% rise. Students remained the most common author type throughout and increased further in 2021 by 25%. Clinician authors and posts focusing on clinical education also increased in 2021 by 17.9% and 227%, respectively. Humor‐based posts saw the greatest increase among the post purposes, with 1000% more recorded in 2021. Engagement overall saw a decline with notably significant reductions in average likes per post among all text‐based posts (−72%, p < 0.0001), all illustrative posts (−51%, p = 0.0013), and a decline in the presence of comments among all text‐based posts (−65.1%, p = 0.0158). These findings highlight that Instagram is a popular platform for facilitating near‐peer teaching while increasingly providing a space where students and clinicians can interact. Additionally, it highlights the benefits of the platform for visually focused learners. However, future research should seek to determine whether Instagram can facilitate deeper learning and have an impact on academic and clinical performance.