Evaluating podcasts as a learning tool in medical education

ABSTRACT

Introduction:   Podcasts are a way of publishing digital media files in audio and/or video format on the internet, through a feed on a social network or media platform, where users can find available publications, start debates on common topics, leave opinions and criticisms, and share accessed content with other listeners.

Objective:   To evaluate podcasts as a teaching tool.

Methods:   A cross-sectional study was conducted with 144 healthcare professionals who answered questionnaires at the end of a podcast between August 2024 and February 2025. The sociodemographic characteristics of the listeners, their views on the level of learning gained from the content, and their opinions about podcasts as a teaching tool were evaluated.

Results:  Regarding the profile of the podcast listeners, 56.25% of the participants were residents in Gynecology and Obstetrics, most of whom study at public institutions in the state of São Paulo and are between 20-29 years old. The most accessed episode topics were isthmocele, care for the transgender and gender-diverse population, and intrauterine growth restriction. When evaluated according to the level of training of the physicians, residents more strongly recommend the use of this tool than medical students and gynecologists (p=0.046). Similarly, residents considered these topics highly relevant when compared to other groups (p= 0.026).

Conclusions:  According to gynecologists, podcasts are a valuable digital tool for medical education.

Keywords:
podcast; medical education; active teaching methodology

RESUMO

Introdução:   O Podcast é uma forma de publicação de arquivos de mídia digital em formato de áudio e/ou vídeo na internet, através de um feed em uma rede social ou plataforma de mídias, no qual os usuários conseguem encontrar as publicações disponíveis, iniciar debates sobre assuntos em comum, deixar opiniões e críticas e compartilhar com outros ouvintes o conteúdo acessado.

Objetivo:  avaliar o podcast como instrumento de ensino.

Métodos:  Estudo de corte transversal com 144 profissionais de saúde que responderam aos questionários ao final de um podcast no período de agosto de 2024 e fevereiro de 2025. Foram avaliadas características sociodemográficas dos ouvintes, a opinião dos participantes sobre seu nível de aprendizado obtido com o conteúdo e opinião do ouvinte acerca do Podcast como ferramenta de ensino.

Resultados:   Quanto ao perfil dos ouvintes do Podcast temos que: 56,25% dos participantes foram residentes de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia, dos quais a maior parte cursa em instituições públicas dentro do estado de São Paulo e tem entre 20-29 anos. Os temas dos episódios mais acessados foram istmocele, atendimento à população transgênero e gênero diverso e restrição de crescimento Intrauterino. Quando avaliamos de acordo com o nível de formação dos médicos observamos que os residentes recomendam mais fortemente o uso desta ferramenta que os acadêmicos e os ginecologistas (p=0,046). Da mesma forma os residentes consideraram estes temas fortemente relevantes quando comparados aos outros grupos (p= 0,026)

Conclusões:   De acordo com os médicos ginecologistas, o podcast é uma boa ferramenta para uso no ensino médico.

Palavras-chave:
podcast; ensino médico; metodologia ativa de ensino

INTRODUCTION

Podcasts are a way of publishing digital media files in audio and/or video format on the internet, through a feed on a social network or media platform, where users can find available publications, start debates on common topics, leave opinions and criticisms, and share the accessed content with other listeners, being a widely used tool for scientific dissemination by University centers and as an e-learning technology^1),(2.

Podcast programs today represent the main form of asynchronous education among medical residents, and an undeniable change in the education paradigm. The ease of access allows for flexibility in study routines, making it a powerful ally in the construction of knowledge³. Educational podcasts bring a number of potential benefits to students. In an era of ever-increasing demands regarding the time of health professionals, this modality seems to have secured its space, being accessible while the listener performs their daily tasks, such as cooking or driving⁴.

The dissemination of information through audio also allows for the exchange of knowledge, bringing specialists closer to their target audience in a less intimidating and hierarchical way. In addition, the online availability of programs allows for the repetition of information when necessary, with the student being able to listen to the content as many times as they deem necessary for their learning, individualizing this process⁴.

Many residents, from various specialties, prefer Podcasts to complement their education instead of formal classes or readings. Podcast producers today include not only educators and assistants, but also large institutions and renowned medical journals, such as the New England Journal of Medicine and JAMA, validating their acceptability in the scientific community⁴. In a society where access to information is facilitated, but not necessarily scientifically based, the development of institutional Podcasts would guarantee the validity of the information transmitted, bring students and teachers closer together, facilitate the exchange of experiences between reference centers in a safe space for the construction of knowledge by the professionals involved, contributing to better patient care. This study aims to evaluate podcasts as a learning tool.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study with 144 responses from healthcare professionals about podcasts as a study tool, answered between August 2024 and February 2025. Students or healthcare professionals with training in Gynecology and Obstetrics, or physicians already graduated in the area, aged 18 and over, who had the means to access digital media, whether with smartphones, computers, or tablets, for personal or collective use, were included. Non-medical professionals were excluded.

Ten podcasts were developed with topics relevant to students and healthcare professionals, regarding women’s health care. At the end of each episode, listeners were directed to a digital questionnaire that, through electronic signature of the Informed Consent Form, inquired about their sociodemographic profile, their views on the level of learning gained from the content, and their opinion about podcasts as a learning tool.

Listener acceptance was evaluated by the number of accesses to each episode, the frequency of access, and the data filled in on the form. Fifteen multiple-choice questions were asked, five of which outlined the sociodemographic profile of the participating population and ten analyzed the suitability of the podcast format as a learning tool from each participant’s perspective. The response items were developed according to a validated Likert questionnaire, and only one item could be selected for each question.

All participants signed the informed consent form, and the research was approved by the institution’s Research Ethics Committee under number CAAE: 81209324.0.0000.5404

Statistical Analysis

To describe the sample profile according to the variables under study, frequency tables were created for the categorical variables, with absolute (n) and percentage (%) frequency values, and descriptive statistics for the numerical variables, with mean, standard deviation, minimum and maximum values, median, and quartiles. For comparison of categorical variables among the 3 groups (residents, physicians, and academics), the Chi-square or Fisher’s exact test was used. For comparison of numerical variables among the 3 groups (residents, physicians, and academics), the Kruskal-Wallis test was used, followed by Dunn’s post-hoc multiple comparison test, due to the absence of a normal distribution of the variables. The significance level adopted for the statistical tests was 5%, i.e., P<0.05.

RESULTS

Regarding the profile of the podcast listeners, we have: 56.25% of the participants were residents in Gynecology and Obstetrics, most of whom are studying at public institutions within the state of São Paulo and are between 20-29 years old; and 32.64% were already graduated Gynecologists and Obstetricians, mostly between 30 and 39 years old. A minority of listeners were aged between 40 and 49 years old (4.9% of the sample) (Table 1).

Table 1
Characteristics of the participants (N=144).

	Mean ±SD	N(%)
Age (years)	28.99± 4.37
20-29		92 (64.34)
30-39		44 (30.77)
40-49		7 (4.90)
Gender
Cis man		42 (29.67)
Cis Woman		101 (70.14)
Transexual man		1 (0.69)
Level of education
Student		16 (11.11)
First-year resident		22 (15.28)
Second-year resident		25 (17.36)
Third-year resident		34 (23.61)
Gynecologist		47 (32.64)
Training location
São Paulo		130 (90.91)
Others		13 (9.09)
Institution
Private		8 (5.56)
Public		136 (94.44)

• SD = standard deviation.
• Source: prepared by the authors.

Regarding the most accessed episode topics, we have: isthmocele, care for the transgender and gender-diverse population, and intrauterine growth restriction. Regarding the prior use of digital media as a teaching and learning methodology, 87% of listeners had previously used digital media for their personal study or do so frequently. Of these, 41.67% reported sporadic use, 25.69% reported use approximately once a month, and 21.53% reported use approximately once a week (Table 2).

Table 2
Participants’ perception of learning with digital media (n=144).

	n (%)
Do you tend to use digital media for study purposes?
Always	86 (59.72)
Sometimes	39 (27.08)
Never	19 (13.19)
How often do you listen to educational and/or medical podcasts?
Once	16 (11.11)
Sporadically	60 (41.67)
Monthly	37 (25.69)
Weekly	31 (21.53)
What is the likelihood that you would incorporate podcasts as an active learning methodology in your personal studies after listening to them?
Unlikely	8 (5.56)
Highly likely	73 (50.69)
Certainly	63 (43.75)
Have you listened to other episodes of this podcast?	139 (96.53)
Would you recommend the program under review to supplement the learning of your professional colleagues?
Yes	144 (100.0)
No	0
Regarding the topic discussed in the episode in question: do you consider that you learned effectively after listening to the episode?
Yes	143 (99.31)
No	1 (0.69)
Would you say that after this episode you feel better prepared to handle the situation in question in real life?
Yes	142 (98.61)
No	2 (1.39)
Do you believe the topic discussed was relevant to your daily life as a professional?
Yes	100.00
No	0
After watching this episode, do you feel capable of sharing the knowledge you’ve gained with others?
Yes	140 (97.22)
No	4 (2.78)

• Source: prepared by the authors.

Of the total listeners and research participants, 94.44% reported a high probability of incorporating podcasts as an active learning tool in their personal studies after listening to one of the analyzed episodes. Of these, 100% of the sample would recommend this form of learning to their professional colleagues, demonstrating good acceptance of the tool by the research participants. Among the participants, 98.61% reported feeling better prepared to deal with the situation discussed in the episode when faced with it in real life (Table 2).

When we assessed the physicians according to their level of training, we observed that residents more strongly recommended the use of this tool than medical students and gynecologists (p=0.046). Similarly, residents considered these topics highly relevant when compared to the other groups (p=0.026) (Table 3).

Table 3
Participants’ perception of learning with digital media according to their level of education (n=144).

	Student (n=16) %	Resident (n=81) %	Ginecologist (n=47) %	p*
Do you tend to use digital media for study purposes?				0.2025
Always	56.25	62.96	55.32
Sometimes	25.00	29.63	23.40
Never	18.75	7.41	21.28
How often do you listen to educational and/or medical podcasts?				0.142
Once	0	8.64	19.15
Sporadic	31.25	43.21	42.55
Monthly	50.00	25.93	17.02
Weekly	18.75	22.22	21.28
What is the likelihood that you would incorporate podcasts as an active learning methodology in your personal studies after listening to them?				0.828
Little	0	7.41	4.26
Much	56.29	46.91	55.32
Absolutely	43.75	45.68	40.43
Have you listened to other episodes of this podcast?	100.0	97.53	93.62	0.403
Would you recommend the program under review to supplement the learning of your professional colleagues?				0.046
Yes, absolutely.	75.0	90.12	74.47
Yes	25.0	9.88	25.53
No	0	0	0
Regarding the topic discussed in the episode in question: do you consider that you learned effectively after listening to the episode?				0.127
Yes, absolutely	81.25	74.07	57.45
Yes	18.75	24.69	42.55
No	0	1.23	0
Would you say that after this episode you feel better prepared to handle the situation in question in real life?				0.890
Yes, absolutely	56.25	55.56	53.19
Yes	43.75	41.98	46.81
No	0	2.47	0
Do you believe the topic discussed was relevant to your daily life as a professional?				0.026
Yes, absolutely	75.00	88.89	70.21
Yes	25.00	11.11	29.79
No	0	0	0
After watching this episode, do you feel capable of sharing the knowledge you’ve gained with others?				0.676
Yes, absolutely	56.25	51.85	57.45
Yes	43.75	43.21	42.55
No	0	4.94	0

• ^*
  Fisher’s exact test.
• Source: prepared by the authors.

DISCUSSION

Recently, in our current culture of instant access to knowledge, there has been an increase in the use of asynchronous and open educational resources in recent years, with a significant acceleration in this pace after the pandemic caused by the new coronavirus from 2019 onwards^4)-(6.

There is a convergence in the current academic community towards learning strategies that favor the socio-epistemological dimensions of learning, more precisely constructivist and collaborative learning. These strategies promote deeper engagement on the part of students and develop higher-order skills. When applied to medical education, they prepare future professionals more effectively for the complexities of clinical practice⁷.

This socio-epistemological teaching model classifies learning activities into two main axes: Social Dimension: In which learning can be individual or in groups and collaborative and Epistemological Dimension: In which passive and objectivist knowledge transmission can occur, or the joint construction of this knowledge can occur, the so-called constructivist view⁸.

According to the literature, learning effectiveness is considered superior in constructivist and collaborative teaching methods. In constructivist learning, the student actively constructs their knowledge and solves problems, instead of just passively receiving information. Collaborative learning allows students to build knowledge about each other through interaction, restructuring thought⁸.

The traditional teaching model is often characterized as objectivist and passive⁵ and, although curricular and conduct changes are discussed, this model remains present in a large part of medical courses in Brazil⁹.

A point of frequent discussion is the feasibility of introducing active learning methodologies in educational contexts with a reduced budget, however, one of the pillars of such methodologies is that they must adapt to the reality of each location¹⁰. A practical example is the Problem-Based Learning methodology, a format that requires low initial financial investment, as it can be developed by prioritizing the use of real community situations as teaching material, without the need to build realistic simulation centers or restructure the institutional space¹⁰. Theoretical teaching using Maguerez’s “Arc Method” is centered on observing local reality and reflecting theoretically on it, and is also a strategy that can be implemented in resource-limited contexts. This method consists of five stages: observation of concrete reality, determination of key points, theorizing, solution hypotheses, and practical application to reality¹⁰.

When we bring this to the context of e-learning, that is, learning that involves digital technology as a learning medium, alternatives for cost reduction are also possible, such as the use of free and publicly available digital platforms, such as Moodle, Google Sites, YouTube, and audio playback platforms, allowing students not only to receive knowledge in a more interactive way, but also to participate in knowledge production and content creation, exercising the competence of learning while teaching¹¹.

Learning through project creation has “Collaborative Learning” as one of its central themes. Students work in teams and benefit from mentoring from professors and interaction with peers, which can even include interdisciplinary collaborations (for example, between medical and art students)⁸.

A survey of emergency medicine residents revealed that 72.2% of them reported that educational podcasts influence their clinical practice “somewhat” or “very much,” and 70.2% of the emergency medicine residents interviewed stated that they were motivated to learn core content in their field, meaning that podcasts went beyond simply providing updates and became the basis of their learning. Although a self-report, this indicates that learners perceive a direct transfer of acquired knowledge to their professional practice².

When compared to our data, we noticed an agreement, since of the total listeners and participants in the survey, 94.44% reported a high probability of incorporating the Podcast as an active learning tool in their personal studies, and of these, 100% of the sample would recommend this form of learning to their professional colleagues, and 98.61% reported feeling better prepared to deal with the situation discussed in the episode when faced with it in real life.

Although there are challenges, such as the preparation time required by students and teachers and the need for more appropriate assessment metrics, evidence suggests that this paradigm shift results in more competent professionals and, ultimately, safer and more effective patient care⁷.

Interestingly, one source mentions that even when active learning is effective, students may not perceive that they are “learning” as much as in traditional classes. This reinforces the need for assessments that demonstrate the practical value of what has been learned, beyond subjective satisfaction, which may justify the 55.5% discontinuation rate of podcast learning⁷.

A critical question raised is whether traditional assessments, such as standardized tests, can actually measure the “deep learning” promoted by active methods. Such tests often measure knowledge acquisition rather than its application, which can lead to a discrepancy between test results and actual clinical competence developed⁷. In the literature review, we found several sources that point to a disconnect between what new pedagogies, such as active learning, seek to teach and what traditional exams can measure. Understanding the effectiveness of these interventions is often limited to “quantitative analyses of pre-post knowledge test scores.” This leaves out the assessment of the learning experience itself and other important skills that are developed⁷.

The EPAs (Entrustable Professional Activities) model, proposed by the Brazilian Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FEBRASGO), is perhaps the most robust example of an application-based assessment metric. This model transforms the competency framework, which are attributes of an individual, into observable and verifiable activities and also includes group or team activities as part of the training, essential for real medical practice¹².

There is controversy in the literature about the adoption of this tool within an educational context. In a recent systematic review, the reported learning outcomes are mixed. Some studies showed improvement compared to traditional modalities, and others pointed to similar effectiveness. Most studies were not controlled or the podcast was incorporated into a larger package of interventions. In the opinion of some authors, the overall evidence is weak for using podcasts as an educational tool, but even if it does not replace conventional teaching methods such as lectures and reading, it can be useful in a complementary way to study ^5),(13),(14.

CONCLUSION

According to gynecologists, podcasts are a valuable digital tool for medical education. Both the process of creating a podcast and its consumption can be used as teaching tools. Institutional validation for the podcast tool can enable its inclusion as an active teaching methodology and allow the dissemination of scientifically based content, combating misinformation and making academic study more dynamic.

References

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• ² Rezaie SR, Riddell J, Swaminathan A, Lee M, Mohamed A, Rogers R. A survey of emergency medicine residents’ use of educational podcasts. West J Emerg Med. 2017;18(2): 229-34.
• ³ Cai F, et al. CREOGs Over Coffee: Feasibility of an Ob-Gyn Medical education Podcast by Residents. J Graduate Medical Education. 2020; 12(3): 340-3.
• ⁴ Berk J, Trivedi SP, Watto M, Williams P, Centor R. Medical Education Podcasts: Where We Are and Questions Unanswered. J General Internal Medicine. 2020; 35(7): 2176-8.
• ⁵ Cho D, Cosimini M, Espinoza J. Podcasting in medical education: a review of the literature. Korean J Med Educ. 2017;29(4):229-39.
• ⁶ Chan TM, Dzara K, Dimeo SP, Bhalerao A, Maggio LA. Social media in knowledge translation and education for physicians and trainees: a scoping review. Perspect Med Educ. 2020; 9: 20-30.
• ⁷ Sandrone S, Berthaud JV, Carlson C, Cios J, Dixit N, Farheen A, Kraker J, Owens JWM, Patino G, Sarva H, Weber D, Schneider LD. Active learning in psychiatry education: current practices and future perspectives. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 2020; 11(211):
• ⁸ Yi TY, Shreyans P, Vallabhajosyula R. Learning by Making - Student-Made Models and Creative Projects for Medical Education: Systematic Review With Qualitative Synthesis. BMC Medical Education. 2025; 25(1): 143.
• ⁹ Mendes A, et al. Mapping the different methods adopted for diagnostic imaging instruction at medical schools in Brazil. Radiologia Brasileira. Disponível em: Disponível em: https://rb.org.br/details/2815/pt-BR/mapping-the-different-methods-adopted-for-diagnostic-imaging-instruction-at-medical-schools-in-brazil Acesso em: 20 out. 2024.
  » https://rb.org.br/details/2815/pt-BR/mapping-the-different-methods-adopted-for-diagnostic-imaging-instruction-at-medical-schools-in-brazil
• ¹⁰ Lima, L. J. L. de, Nunes Andrade, W. Z., Vasconcelos Palácio, M. A., Takenami, I., & Quintanilha, L. F. (2023). Panorama nacional dos métodos de ensino das escolas médicas: uma avaliação dos métodos de ensino formalmente adotados pelas instituições brasileiras. Revista Sustinere, 11(1), 80-96. https://doi.org/10.12957/sustinere.2023.58225
  » https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.12957/sustinere.2023.58225
• ¹¹ NATIONAL CENTER FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY INFORMATION. Learning by making: student-made models and creative projects for medical education. PubMed Central, 2020. Disponível em: Disponível em: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7291921/pdf/main.pdf Acesso em: 20 out. 2024
  » https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7291921/pdf/main.pdf
• ¹² FEBRASGO. As EPAs (Entrustable Professional Activities) na formação do especialista em Ginecologia e Obstetrícia - Proposta da Febrasgo. Femina 2022;50(6):327-45
• ¹³ Zanussi L, Paget M, Tworek J, McLaughlin K. Podcasting in medical education: can we turn this toy into an effective learning tool? Adv Health Sci Educ Theory Pract. 2012;17(4):597-600.
• ¹⁴ Black KA, Drummond L, Jain V, Sagle M. Development of a medical education podcast in obstetrics and gynecology. Can Med Educ J. 2021;2(12):103-5.

• 9
  Evaluated by double blind review process.
• SOURCES OF FUNDING
  The authors declare no sources of funding.
• DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT
  Research data is only available upon request.

• Chief Editor:
  Rosiane Viana Zuza Diniz.

• Associate Editor:
  Olaf Kraus de Camargo.

Data availability

Research data is only available upon request.

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  28 Aug 2026
• Date of issue
  2026

History

• Received
  14 Jan 2026
• Accepted
  30 June 2026