Evidence-Based Guidelines for Podcast Production and Use in Competency-Based Health Professions Education

BACKGROUND: Podcasts are a popular educational tool in health professions that appeal to learners for their accessibility and flexibility. Skeptics criticize podcasts for issues related to quality and credibility, despite established quality criteria. METHODS: A podcast guideline was developed using a rapid review of the literature. Selected articles underwent synthesis and analysis. From these, key areas and recommendations were developed. RESULTS: Forty-eight articles informed the narrative synthesis that revealed 6 areas. Recommendations for areas included directives for 3 pertinent audiences: podcast producers, educators, and listeners and learners. DISCUSSION: High-quality podcasts are especially important to advocate for best practices in pediatric healthcare. The podcast guideline outlines evidence-based standards to guide podcast production and use for competency-based education for learner-centered outcomes. More research is needed to understand how podcast listening affects clinical outcomes. There is potential for artificial intelligence to advance podcasts, but it should be used cautiously and ethically.