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

BACKGROUND: Provision of learning resources online is rapidly becoming a feature of medical education. AIMS: 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. METHODS: Patterns of use and student learning styles were determined using an anonymous survey. RESULTS: 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. CONCLUSIONS: 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.