An electronic survey of preferred podcast format and content requirements among trainee emergency medicine specialists in four Southern African universities
Date
2020-12
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY : Introduction: Global usage of educational Emergency Medicine (EM) podcasts is popular and ever-increasing. This study aims to explore the desired content, format, and delivery characteristics of a potential educational, contextspecific
Southern African EM podcast, by investigating current podcast usages, trends and preferences
among Southern African EM registrars of varying seniority.
Methods: We developed an electronic survey - using a combination of existing literature, context-specific specialisttraining
guidance, and input from local experts – exploring preferred podcast characteristics among EM
registrars from four Southern African universities.
Results: The study’s response rate was 75%, with 24 of the 39 respondents being junior registrars. Ninety-four percent
(94%) of respondents used EM podcasts as an educational medium: 64% predominantly using podcasts to
supplement a personal EM study program. The primary mode of accessing podcasts was via personal mobile
devices (84%). Additionally, respondents preferred a shorter podcast duration (5–15 minutes), favoured
multimedia podcasts (56%) and showed an apparent aversion towards recorded faculty lectures (5%). Eightytwo
percent (82%) of respondents preferred context-specific podcast content, with popular topics including
toxicology (95%), cardiovascular emergencies (79%) and medico-legal matters (74%). Just-in-Time learning
proved an unpopular learning strategy in our study population, despite its substantial educational value.
Conclusion: Podcast-usage proved to be near-ubiquitous among the studied Southern African EM registrars.
Quintessentially, future context-specific podcast design should cater for mobile device-use, shorter duration
podcasts, more video content, context-specific topics, and content optimised for both Just-in-Time learning.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Geen opsomming beskikbaar.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Geen opsomming beskikbaar.
Description
Thesis (MFamMed)--Stellenbosch University, 2020.
Keywords
Emergency medicine -- Study and teaching (Higher), Emergency medicine -- Web-based instruction, Podcasts, Asynchronous transfer mode, UCTD