Tuning In: Student-Produced Podcasts in Veterinary Anesthesia Learning Experience

Veterinary anesthesia is a cognitively demanding subject that requires students to master complex pharmacological concepts and numerous drug names while simultaneously applying them in clinical contexts. To promote deeper learning and active engagement, we implemented a short-duration, student-produced audio podcast assignment to all students, working in pairs, as part of the third-year veterinary anesthesia curriculum. Following faculty review and classroom discussion, the episodes were uploaded to an online platform, creating a peer-generated learning resource for revision and exam preparation. Students' perceptions were evaluated using a 5-point Likert questionnaire, and summative examination performance was compared with a previous cohort that neither created nor accessed podcasts. Fifty students voluntarily replied to the questionnaire. Overall, a high level of engagement in the activity was reported. The strongest perceived benefit was the creation process itself, followed by enhanced group work experience and increased motivation to deepen understanding. The podcast length was well accepted, and more than half the students listened repeatedly to podcasts created by their peers. Interestingly, although most students perceived the podcasts as having limited value for direct exam preparation, those exposed to podcasts achieved higher final examination scores than the historic group. This teaching strategy illustrates how shifting students from passive consumers to active creators of educational content can promote deeper cognitive processing. Student-produced podcasts represent a simple, scalable, and engaging active learning strategy that can be incorporated into veterinary curricula to enhance learning in conceptually challenging subjects.