Abstract
In little more than 15 years, the podcast has gone from being virtually unknown to becoming a multibillion-dollar industry. There are an estimated half-billion podcast listeners worldwide. Podcasts are available for various interests, from entertainment to news, politics, sports, hobbies, and education. Podcasting in medicine has similar origins, beginning with journals and academic/educational institutions wishing to share information on new clinical trials or publications, as well as by those who wanted to promote the free and open access model of online education. The COVID-19 outbreak led to a renaissance in the availability of infectious diseases–oriented audio podcasts, due to the need for regular information about SARS-CoV-2 and the pandemic-related preference for virtual learning. However, many in the infectious diseases community have not yet been introduced to available infectious diseases podcast resources. In this article, we highlight 38 of the most popular infectious diseases–oriented audio podcasts.
Keywords: infectious diseases, podcasts, virtual learning
HISTORY
In 2003, software engineer Dave Winer developed an audio RSS feed (really simple syndication), enabling the distribution of audio files with text on a blog [1]. This led to the creation of iPodder software by Winer and Adam Curry in 2004, allowing for easy downloading of internet radio broadcasts, which soon became known as “podcasts.” Apple incorporated podcast subscriptions into iTunes in 2005, significantly boosting their popularity. Subsequent years saw the inauguration of medical podcasts, with institutions such as Harvard, the New England Journal of Medicine, and JAMA launching their own feeds [2]. This was followed by a wave of medical educators adopting the “free and open access to education” model, exemplified by the Khan Academy (2006) and the University of South Florida's IDPodcasts Series (2007) [3].
From 2010 on, medical podcasts diversified from being just didactic presentations to becoming more conversation, interview, or discussion based [2]. During this time, medical content providers confronted similar challenges to legacy media: accuracy and quality, production cost/funding, conflicts of interest, peer review, and the intersection of social media with online content. Despite this, some standards emerged. In 2015, Lin et al published 13 main quality indicators for blogs and podcasts, including sharing conflicts of interest, disclosing information sources, differentiating between fact and opinion, and maintaining content quality [4].
POPULARITY
The COVID-19 pandemic supercharged the growth of medical podcasts [5], expanding across various specialties, including many not previously represented [6]. The pandemic's restrictions on in-person gatherings underscored the value of virtual resources, driving innovative educational methods and the launch of numerous infectious diseases (ID) and public health series [7].
Even as COVID-19 wanes, the overall popularity of podcasts continues to increase. As of 2023, about 42% of Americans >12 years of age have listened to a podcast in the past month, doubling since 2016 [8]. The literature continues to affirm the positive impact of podcasts on medical education. In a 2022 scoping review of 491 published English-language studies of audio-only medical podcast use, for which 62 met inclusion criteria, Kelly and colleagues found a clear pattern of increased use and acceptability of podcasts among medical learners since 2007, with up to 71% of postgraduate medical trainees in 2019 supporting the podcast format [9]. Widespread international adoption of podcasts was also documented to >100 countries. At least 19 subspecialties were represented at all learner levels. The 11 studies that assessed changes in provider behavior demonstrated improved documentation in medical students and self-reported practice modification in residents and clinicians. Several other published studies [5, 10, 11] highlight the effectiveness of podcasts in enhancing learning and even offering superior knowledge gains vs textbooks. In a 2020 review [12] of medical resident experiences from US and Canadian medical schools, participants reported that podcasts were convenient, more relaxing, more accessible, and easier to absorb than reading material. Though the residents described listening to podcasts as being more passive at times with a higher potential for listener distraction, they felt that the podcast format's personalized learning, sense of connectedness, and engagement more than justified its use.
WHAT ID-RELATED AUDIO PODCASTS ARE OUT THERE?
We identified 38 free English-language ID-related podcast series available on Spotify Podcasts and Apple podcasts, the 2 leading podcast platforms (accession dates, 18–19 July 2024; Table 1). Initial candidates for inclusion were obtained by searching the Apple Podcasts and Spotify Podcasts search engines with the keywords “infectious diseases podcasts” and retrieving the 100 highest-ranked listings from each search result (200 total). To be included in the final list, each podcast series met specific criteria: (1) “active” with a new episode within 60 days of accession; (2) primarily ID, microbiology, and/or epidemiology content based; and (3) originating from a content provider or organization with established scientific/medical credentials. Podcast metrics were obtained from an independent and well-known analytics provider (Rephonic.com; Babadan Labs) [13]. Each coauthor listened to multiple podcasts from each series to become familiar with the content. Data collection included the publisher, date of inception, total number of episodes, episode frequency, per-episode listeners, monthly audience, audience location, and brief description.
Table 1.
Infectious Diseases Audio Podcasts
| Namea (Audience Location) | Publisher | Inception Date | No. of Episodesb | Length; Frequency | Listeners per Episode; Monthly Listenersb | Interest Levelc | Review/Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| This Podcast Will Kill You (USA) | Exactly Right Media | Oct 2017 | 192 | Hour; weekly | 499.1k; 2.2M | E | Single-topic episodes discuss biology, history, and epidemiology of a disease or medical mystery |
| Osterholm Update (USA) | CIDRAP | Mar 2020 | 161 | Hour; weekly | 19.2k; 83.6k | E | Weekly updates on COVID-19 and other trending outbreaks; interview format |
| Immune (USA) | Vincent Racaniello | Oct 2017 | 85 | Hour; monthly | 15.4k; 16.5k | MT | Part of Microbe.TV and coproduced by the ASM; discussion of the ID literature, body defenses, and microbes |
| This Week in Microbiology (USA) | Feb 2011 | 314 | Hour; every 2 wk | 10.3k; 21.8k | E | ||
| This Week in Virology (USA) | 2008 | 1159 | Half hour; daily | 4.7k; 71.7k | E | ||
| Infectious Disease Puscast (USA) | May 2022 | 58 | Half hour; every 2 wk | 8.1k; 17.8k | MT | ||
| Febrile (USA) | Sara Dong | Dec 2020 | 107 | 30–60 min; every 2 wk | 10k; 21.7k | MT | ID clinical reasoning, diagnosis, and antimicrobial management are discussed; interview format |
| Meet the Microbiologist (USA) | Ashley Hagen | Aug 2008 | 161 | 30–60 min; monthly | NA | A | Behind the scenes in the microbial sciences; interview format |
| Editors in Conversation (USA) | ASM | Aug 2020 | 84 | 30–60 min; monthly | 2.7k; 5.6k | A | Discussions between ASM journal editors and researchers/clinicians |
| Breakpoints (USA) | Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists | Jun 2019 | 99 | 30–60 min; every 2 wk | 1.9k; 2.8k | MT | Discussions of proper antimicrobial and ID management in the clinical setting |
| Communicable (USA) | CMI Communications / ESCMID | May 2024 | 5 | 30–60 min; every 2 wk | 1.5k; 3.2k | MT | Hot topics in ID and clinical microbiology |
| AJIC: Science Into Practice (USA) | Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology | Aug 2021 | 36 | 30–60 min; monthly | 1.2k; 1.3k | A | Conversations from infection preventionists about infection control |
| ID:IOTS: Infectious Diseases Insight of Two Specialists (UK) | Jame McCrae and Callum Mutch | Jul 2021 | 84 | 30–60 min; every 2 wk | 1.8k; 4k | MT | Two ID doctors from the UK discuss infections |
| Let's Talk ID (USA) | IDSA | Apr 2012 | 205 | 10–45 min; every 2 wk | 1.2k; 4.2k | MT | IDSA's main podcast series discusses a wide range of topics including new guidelines |
| Microbe Mail (South Africa) | Vindana Chibabhai | Sep 2021 | 58 | Hourly; every 2 wk | 732; 1.3k | MT | Everyday issues in microbiology relevant to a low- or middle-income setting |
| Infectious IDeas (USA) | National Foundation for Infectious Diseases | Jul 2022 | 24 | 15–30 min; monthly | 620; 674 | E | Thought-provoking conversations about ID from practice to policy |
| Outbreak News Interviews (USA) | Robert Herriman | Jun 2017 | 571 | 5–30 min; daily | 466; 4.5k | E | Topical newscast format with occasional interviews |
| ECDC: On Air (USA) | ECDC | Aug 2021 | 54 | Half hour; every 2 wk | 354; 770 | A | Epidemiology behind the scenes at the ECDC |
| IDPodcasts (USA) | USF Division of Infectious Diseases | Jul 2012 | 279 | Hour; weekly | 643; 2.2k | MT | Didactic presentations from USF fellows/faculty and invited guests |
| Infectious Historians (USA) | Merle Eisenberg and Lee Mordechai | Mar 2020 | 126 | 30–60 min; weekly | 324; 1.2k | E | Covering ID through history from plague to COVID-19 |
| PeerView Infectious Diseases Audio Podcast (USA) | PeerView Institute for Medical Education | Nov 2021 | 38 | Hour; monthly | 437; 370 | A | Audio content in ID with CME option |
| National STD Curriculum Podcast (USA) | National STD Curriculum | Sep 2020 | 53 | Half hour; every 2 wk | 366; 413 | MT | Explores STD issues |
| CCO Infectious Diseases (USA) | Clinical Care Options | Jun 2020 | 394 | 15–50 min; daily | 308; 4.7k | A | Weekly updates on new data and best practices in ID patient care |
| Transplant ID Cast (USA) | Shmuel Shoham | Feb 2020 | 32 | 30–60 min; weekly | 210; 457 | A | Covers the world of transplant ID |
| Contagion: An Infectious Diseases Podcast (USA) | IDPodcasts | May 2024 | 3 | Hour; monthly | 210; 235 | E | ID topics and interviews in a format suitable for all audiences |
| Respiratory Inspirations (USA) | Cleveland Clinic | Apr 2022 | 40 | Half hour; every 2 wk | 263; 535 | E | Covers lung disease, allergy, critical illness, and ID |
| National HIV Curriculum Podcast (USA) | National HIV Curriculum | Jan 2024 | 13 | Half hour; every 2 wk | 200; 378 | A | HIV-related discussions about diagnosis, management, and prevention |
| Going Anti-viral (USA) | IAS-USA | Nov 2023 | 23 | 30–60 min; every 2 wk | 166; 361 | MT | Discussions about HIV and other viral diseases |
| Dason Digest (USA) | Duke Antimicrobial Stewardship Outreach Network | Dec 2021 | 91 | Half hour; every 2 wk | 154; 335 | A | Discussions about antimicrobial stewardship and ID |
| PeerVoice Immunology and Infectious Diseases Audio (USA) | PeerVoice | 2011 | 87 | 30–60 min; monthly | 142; 309 | A | Interviews related to ID and immunology |
| Looking at Lyme (Canada) | Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation | Jul 2020 | 88 | Half hour; every 2 wk | 111; 483 | E | Lyme borreliosis and its impact on human health |
| Infectious Questions: An ID Public Health Podcast (Canada-French) | National Collaborating Center for Infectious Diseases | Mar 2016 | 64 | 15–30 min; monthly | 107; 204 | A | Discussions about ID and public health |
| Transmissible: A Public Health Podcast (USA) | Jessica Stahl | Sep 2023 | 29 | Half hour; every 2 wk | 78; 326 | E | Explores topics in public and global health |
| IDBR: Infectious Diseases Board Review (USA) | John Bennett/Henry Masur | Apr 2024 | 16 | 5–10 min; weekly | 75; 331 | MT | Board review certification and recertification |
| De-CIPHERing Infectious Disease (USA) | CIPHER Research Center | Apr 2024 | 8 | Hour; every 2 wk | 70; 152 | A | Exploring research from University of North Carolina at Charlotte's CIPHER Center |
| Let's Meet the Virologists (USA) | Larissa Thackray | Dec 2020 | 100 | Half hour; weekly | 14; 309 | A | Discussions with experts on virology |
| SCDP Echo Podcast (USA) | Emory Serious Communicable Disease Program | Mar 2021 | 42 | Hour; monthly | NA | MT | Recordings of live sessions regarding serious communicable diseases from the organization |
| Infection Control Matters (Australia) | Brett Mitchell | Nov 2021 | 100 | Half hour; every 2 wk | NA | A | Discussions regarding infection prevention and control |
Abbreviations: AJIC, American Journal of Infection Control; ASM, American Society for Microbiology; CIDRAP, Center for Infectious Diseases Research and Policy; CIPHER, Computational Intelligence to Predict Health and Environmental Risks; ECDC, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control; ESCMID, European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases; IAS-USA, International Antiviral Society–USA; ID, infectious diseases; IDSA, Infectious Diseases Society of America; NA, not available; STD, sexually transmitted disease; USF, University of South Florida.
aTo find each podcast, search for the name in your favorite podcast provider app (Apple, Spotify, Audible, etc).
bMetrics from Rephonic (https://www.Rephonic.com; last reviewed 2 August 2024). Podcasts ordered by estimated audience level (high to low). k and M indicate thousands and millions of listeners per episode, respectively.
cInterest levels: A, advanced microbiology, public health, or ID level suggested; E, everyone (suitable for all audiences); MT, medical trainee or above.
FINDINGS
The aggregate total audience (per Rephonic) for the 38 podcasts in our sample was approximately 583 200 listeners. Per-episode audiences ranged from almost half a million for the popular series This Podcast Will Kill You to >19 000 per episode for the Osterholm Update to <25 for the lower-ranked podcast series. Of 38 podcasts, 27 (71%) in the review were inaugurated after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. A diverse series of subjects were represented, ranging from current outbreaks to microbiology, immunology, virology, HIV, Lyme disease, transplant ID, sexually transmitted diseases, public health, infection control, ID board review, and the history of ID. Most English-language podcasts originated from the United States, but other international podcasts originated from Canada, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Australia.
CONCLUSIONS
Audio podcasts serve as an invaluable tool for the ID and medical community. With predictions that medical knowledge in the 2020s is likely to double every 73 days [14], educators will need to adapt to and evaluate new resources to enhance their teaching methods. Podcasts could play a critical role in alleviating the burden of new medical knowledge in an accessible way. The podcasting platform offers low start-up and production costs and easy distribution through free platforms. Subscribers receive new, preference-aligned content regularly, which they can listen to in various settings, including the car, while exercising, or during practice breaks. Although the ID discipline is well represented by online podcast offerings, new podcast series devoted to combating medical misinformation or inspiring students toward a career in ID and/or public health would be a welcome enhancement to the available ID offerings.
The podcast platform is not without its shortcomings and potential challenges. No single learning modality is ideal for all learners, and the multitask environment (eg, driving, exercising) within which most podcasts are listened to may hinder retention for some users [15, 16]. The ideal length of a medical podcast episode remains uncertain [17], and podcast audience metric tools are often less robust. As not all podcasts adhere to Lin and colleagues' published standards [4], questions about content quality, source citation, peer review, professional credentials, and commercial content may continue to be an issue [18]. Though online sites can do more to verify health content creator credentials and reduce the spread of medical misinformation, medical podcast listeners can still take advantage of each series' descriptive information, listener ratings, show website, prior episodes list, recommendations from colleagues, and other peer-reviewed sources to help them navigate to the most credible podcast content. We acknowledge that our sampling technique had necessary limitations, and new podcast series may be constantly premiering while others may become inactive. Nevertheless, the ID community strongly benefits from a broad selection of high-quality, diverse, and engaging podcasts designed to educate, inspire, and entertain listeners.
Contributor Information
Richard L Oehler, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA.
Ju Hee Katzman, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA.
Arun Sunny, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA.
Note
Potential conflicts of interest . R. L. O., J. H. K., and A. S. are affiliated with and are contributors to USF Health's IDPodcasts and Contagion Audio Podcast series.
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