Dissemination of medical and science‐based information: the effectiveness of podcasting

Purpose – – This paper aims to briefly examine podcasts, from the perspective of usefulness for medical education.Design/methodology/approach This article offers definitions of podcasting and examines a small number of podcasts in greater detail.Findings – From early, promising beginnings in 2005, podcasts appear to be have diminished in popularity. Quality of the broadcasts provided by major journals is variable. There is a lack of research into the effectiveness of podcasts, and student responses are mixed. Podcasts remain, however, a potentially cost‐effective way of disseminating information in a range of areas, from conference proceedings to allowing students to catch up on lecturesResearch limitations/implications – As with many Web 2.0 applications, podcasts for educational purposes appear to remain underutilised.Originality/value – This article offers a brief overview and analysis of the current state of podcasts, with a particular focus on medical and scientific information.