Utilizing Instagram Stories to deliver educational content to medical students in pediatrics: curricular design and evaluation

Utilization of social media has been described in medical education, but Instagram as an educational platform for the pediatric clerkship has not yet been reported. We created a 29-item Instagram Story curriculum with summative examination-relevant topics to supplement the pediatric clerkship for third-year medical students. Engagement in the Instagram curriculum was assessed by measuring Storyviews, calculating Story retention rates (number of users who viewed al lslides/number of users who viewed the first slide  100) and analyzing mini-quizperformance.  Students completed a voluntary 7-item survey at clerkship end to assess overall satisfaction with the Instagram curriculum.  Quantitative analysis of questions using a 7-item scale and qualitative analysis of responses from open-ended questions were performed. A total of 132 students participated over a period of eight 6-week blocks.  During the study period, the average number of views on the first slide in a Story was 24.8 and the average number of views on the last slide of a story was 13.3 per block.  Average retention rate was 54.3%, mini-quiz engagement rate was 32.0%, and percent correct on mini-quizzes was 87.6%.  Students positively rated the Instagram curriculum on feasibility (83.6%), clerkship relevance (89.1%), facilitating engagement in the material (65.5%), assisting in NBME pediatric subject exam preparation (61.8%), and recommending the modality to other clerkships (69.1%). This study provides evidence that the use of an Instagram curriculum within a core pediatric clerkship is feasible, engaging, relevant, and favorably received by medical students.  We conclude that Instagram can be successfully integrated into clinical undergraduate medical education.