Surgery 101: evaluating the use of podcasting in a general surgery clerkship

Provision of learning resources online is rapidly becoming a feature of medical education.

This study set out to determine how medical students engaged in a 6-week clerkship in General Surgery would make use of a series of audio podcasts designed to meet their educational objectives.

Patterns of use and student learning styles were determined using an anonymous survey.

Of the 112 students, 93 responded to the survey (83%); 68% of students reported listening to at least one podcast (average number: six). While students reported listening in a variety of time and places, the majority of students reported listening on a computer in dedicated study time. Of the listeners, 84% agreed the podcasts helped them learn core topics, and over 80% found the recordings interesting and engaging.

This study demonstrates that podcasts are an acceptable learning resource for medical students engaged in a surgery clerkship, and can be integrated into existing study habits. We believe that podcasting can help us cater to busy students with a range of learning styles. We have also shown that a free online resource developed by one school can reach a global audience many times larger than its intended target: to date, the 'Surgery 101' podcast series has been downloaded more than 160,000 times worldwide.