Impact of social media on the career choices of medical students and junior residents in Japan: a prospective study to strategize an increase in the number of aspiring surgeons

Purpose: To identify the most effective use of social media to increase the number of aspiring surgeons, we evaluated the impact of social media on the career choices of medical students and junior residents. Methods: We conducted a single-center prospective observational questionnaire-based study on medical students and junior residents from March, 2023 to August, 2024. Following overall aggregation, statistical intergroup comparisons were made between students and junior residents, as well as between those who were, or were not influenced by social media. Results: Among the 101 participants (77 students, 24 junior residents), approximately 75% reported that social media influenced their career choices. The most frequently used platforms were YouTube (85.1%), Instagram (71.3%), and X (67.3%). A total of 46.5% of the respondents expressed an interest in surgical specialties. Junior residents were more likely than students to gather information related to medicine (p = 0.0442). The group influenced by social media showed a higher interest in surgical specialties (p = 0.0475), and many desired parental leave policies to increase the number of surgeons (p = 0.0376). Conclusion: Social media influences the career choices of medical students and junior residents, and its effective use could increase the number of aspiring surgeons.