Audio-podcasts as a teaching tool in undergraduate health professions education - a scoping review.

INTRODUCTION

Audio podcasts are increasingly popular, leading to increased use in health professions education (HPE), offering flexible, asynchronous learning. Their adoption accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, yet guidance on how to purposefully integrate podcasts into undergraduate curricula remains limited. This review aims to map the existing literature on the integration, design and evaluation of audio podcasts as instructor-delivered teaching tools for undergraduate students in HPE.

METHODS

We conducted a scoping review following PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Eligible studies included empirical research on instructor-delivered audio podcasts for undergraduate students in HPE programmes. Studies were excluded if they focused on video podcasts, if the creation of a podcast by students was the learning activity, or when the article lacked data evaluating the podcast. We searched 5 databases without date limits. Data were charted using a structured Excel form capturing study characteristics, podcast design, integration approach, and evaluation outcomes. All interventions were classified according to the PICRAT model to classify student interaction and pedagogical impact.

RESULTS

Our search identified 3395 records, of which 54 studies met inclusion criteria, spanning 13 HPE disciplines, predominantly medicine and nursing. Podcast formats ranged from lecture recordings to radio documentaries. Integration was mainly Passive-Replaces (n = 24) or Passive-Amplify (n = 17), with fewer Interactive (n = 3) or Creative (n = 8) uses. We identified four categories of learning activities in which podcasts were used, with listening as a standalone learning activity and listing as part of an assignment being most common. Podcasts were able to amplify and transform teaching by creating insights into the lives and experiences of patients and their families or into clinical practice.

DISCUSSION: Podcasts can supplement or replace traditional teaching and address challenges in HPE. Their greatest potential lies in providing learning experiences that are difficult to recreate through conventional teaching. Purposeful integration guided by educational theory is essential to maximize impact.