Andrea Kovalsky uses Twitter a lot as an Athletic Trainer.







Why do you use social media for sports medicine?




I was professionally socialized by Boomer ATs, so I’m a bit old school. But working on a relatively nontraditional DAT, I’ve learned that we have to embrace change and make it work for us before we get left behind. If social media is how future generations consume information and interact with the world, then it has to be a part of how we advocate and move the profession forward. Otherwise, we’re losing out on engaging with a huge audience.  



There is just so much information out there, it’s impossible to read & digest everything coming out of sports medicine today. I like the short snippets that social media provides so that I can decide whether I want to read the whole article/study later



Journal subscriptions are expensive! I’m completing a DAT at FIU right now, but I joke that I’m only there for access to the university’s library databases (PS: If we want preceptors to encourage clinical students to practice EBP, we must give preceptors access to the university library databases as a form of payment for the work they do!)




What have you taken from Social Media?




Like the disclosure slide that no one pays attention to in CEU presentations: my opinions may not be those of my employer, and use this information with caution! 



Take everything with a grain of salt: Who is the speaker? What’s their background? What’s their motivation for posting this? Are they blowing off steam, subtweeting someone, or looking for genuine engagement? If they are looking to engage, are they open to learning, or will any discourse make them dig in further? Know when to disengage.



We have such a diverse community on #ATtwitter. There are a lot of positives as well as some challenges. It’s also helpful to bring those connections to the real world, though. The life we present online is often much rosier than real life, but real life is where things get done. Advocating on social media and living it are two different things. I try to be the same person online as off.




How has it helped?




Probably wouldn’t have survived lockdown without finding AT friends online



Learning new clinical techniques, hearing about research before it’s published



Another avenue to get questions answered & reach people in power



Got our new practice act language passed!



Helps me survive as a solo AT: venting, troubleshooting, connecting with others who get my jokes




Has it been harmful or negative for you at all?




There will always be trolls and misinterpretation of context, which is how messages get blown out of proportion



Probably mildly addicted, but who isn’t? (It’s also kinda my job to be on socials, so I use that excuse)




How do you manage Twitter?




Tweetdeck is a lifesaver, but there are dozens of paid and free social media managing apps out there



Add relevant images as much as possible, it boosts your visibility



Use a link-shortener like bit.ly when you reach a character limit



Don’t just post a link to other content, post a quote or short explanation



Ask a question, and state something poignant if you want people to engage



Best engagements happen when you post in the morning



My NATM is often not the theme: 2022 was #ATgratitude, and 2023 was #auscultATe.  IATA’s 2022 was #FlatAT (had so much fun with that!)



I do use ATCAnonymous, but only when I need to reach a wider audience than what I have, with a legitimate question. Not a fan of anonymous accounts. Why? Listen to Kutz & Konin’s Leadercast episode 15: Anonymity & leadership



Socrates said: “Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?” There’s enough shit in the world. Be kind.



Eleanor Roosevelt said: “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.”




Which platforms do you use and why?




Fewer and fewer nowadays! The real world is too busy (FT job, FT doctoral student,