Well-Known Medical Podcasts
Based on systematic analysis of the most popular medical education podcasts, The Curbsiders Internal Medicine Podcast, Emergency Medicine Cases (EM:RAP), and The Clinical Problem Solvers represent the highest-quality, most widely-used podcasts for physician education, with emergency medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics having the most extensive podcast offerings. 1, 2, 3
Top-Tier Medical Education Podcasts
For Physicians and Medical Learners
The Curbsiders Internal Medicine Podcast is specifically recommended by Yale medical educators as a high-yield resource for internal medicine education, targeting all levels of medical learners 2
The Clinical Problem Solvers is highlighted as an excellent podcast for clinical reasoning and diagnostic thinking, recommended by academic medical institutions 2
Emergency medicine podcasts dominate the medical podcasting landscape, with this specialty having both the largest number of active podcasts and the most extensive content library compared to other specialties 1, 3
Internal medicine and pediatrics also maintain robust podcast offerings with multiple active, high-quality educational resources 1
Specialty-Specific Availability
Emergency medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics have the most active podcasts available for continuing medical education 1
Obstetrics and gynecology, ophthalmology, and orthopedic surgery have notable podcast content but with more inactive or discontinued series 1
Neurosurgery was the only major specialty without identifiable active podcasts as of recent systematic review 1
Quality Indicators for Medical Podcasts
What Makes a Credible Medical Podcast
Accuracy, transparency, and credibility are the three most important quality indicators valued by both healthcare professionals and the general public when evaluating medical podcasts 4
72.5% of physician-intended podcasts list references or have a peer review process in place, significantly higher than podcasts for general audiences 3
39.2% of physician education podcasts offer continuing medical education (CME) credits, demonstrating formal educational rigor 3
Podcast Affiliations and Production
35.2% of physician education podcasts are affiliated with individuals, 31.4% with companies, and 23.5% with professional journals 3
Podcasts affiliated with professional journals or academic institutions generally maintain higher quality control standards 3
The majority of physician education podcasts (74.5%) target all levels of medical learners, from students through practicing physicians 3
Pedagogical Approach
Educational Methods Used
Physician-intended podcasts engage higher levels of Bloom's taxonomy compared to podcasts for other audiences, focusing on analysis, synthesis, and evaluation rather than just knowledge recall 3
Medical podcasts employ diverse didactic methods including case-based learning, expert interviews, clinical pearls, and evidence-based reviews 3
Interactive formats that encourage critical thinking and clinical reasoning are more common in highly-ranked medical education podcasts 3
Usage Patterns Among Healthcare Professionals
Listening Behaviors
81% of healthcare professionals listen to podcasts, significantly higher than the 55% rate among parents/caregivers 4
The majority of listeners select normal playback speed and engage in concomitant activities such as driving while listening 5
One-third of participants pause podcasts due to interruptions, highlighting the need for content that can be consumed in segments 5
Professional Engagement
Healthcare professionals are significantly more engaged with medical education podcasts than the general public 4
Podcast listeners are more likely to have higher incomes and use professional websites for medical information 4
Professional listservs and social media are effective distribution channels for reaching healthcare professional audiences 4
Additional Notable Podcasts
Other Recommended Series
Flip the Script is recommended by Yale educators for its unique perspective on medical education 2
2 Docs Talk provides accessible medical discussions for both professionals and interested lay audiences 2
Key Literature in Medical Education (KeyLIME) Podcast focuses specifically on medical education research and pedagogy 2
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Quality Control Concerns
Not all medical podcasts have peer review processes or reference lists, so listeners should verify information through primary sources 3
Commercial affiliations may introduce bias, as 31.4% of physician education podcasts are produced by companies rather than academic institutions 3
The lack of standardized quality metrics means listeners must independently assess credibility using the three key indicators: accuracy, transparency, and credibility 4