Medical journals increasingly use social media to engage their audiences in a variety of ways, from simply broadcasting content via blogs, micro-blogs, and podcasts to more interactive methods such as Twitter chats and online journal clubs. Online discussion may increase readership and help improve peer review, for example, by providing post-publication peer review. Challenges remain, including the loss of nuance and context of shared work. Furthermore, uncertainty remains regarding how to assess the impact of journal social media outreach, abundant but unclear metrics, and the magnitude of benefit (if any), particularly given the substantial work required for substantive interactive engagement.

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