Rheum on the go: Keep up to Date With Podcasts
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The pace of new information in health care as well as avenues of receiving that information is rising rapidly. I’m sure you have a bounty of unopened emails advertising studies of various novel therapies that you plan to get to one day. Our time to read and stay abreast of this information, however, is increasingly consumed by administrative activities such as writing letters to insurance companies or waiting on hold for peer-to-peer phone calls while clicking buttons on the electronic medical record system. These novel health care responsibilities drain the little time we have for reading journals — so how do you keep up?
In comes podcasts, a rapidly growing audio medium for people to enjoy their favorite topics from comedy, movie trivia and music, to educational topics such as history and medicine. Podcasts allow people to listen to their favorite topics anytime, anywhere, much like a contained radio show that you can subscribe to and stream at your leisure. Importantly, podcasts can be listened to whenever you want: while driving to work, mowing the lawn, or while on hold for a peer-to-peer consultation.
It is also a rapidly expanding medium. According to Edison Research in 2019, 51% of Americans have listened to at least one podcast, and 32% of Americans listen to podcasts monthly, which is up from 26% last year. The most surprising statistic is that nearly one-quarter of Americans listen to a podcast weekly, up from 17% in 2018. So, yes, podcasts are a thing, and they are becoming a bigger thing every year.
Podcasts are a great medium for health care providers to get quick, enjoyable updates in their field. While you may be thinking, “Great, another thing I have to do outside of work,” podcasts are not meant to be a chore but rather intended to be fun and engaging. If you find a podcast you enjoy, you will want to listen and will be eager for the next episode to come out.
Multiple podcasts are available covering rheumatology, each offering a unique perspective on the specialty. For instance, Dr. Jack Cush’s RheumNow gives 15- to 20-minute weekly episodes on what is new in the field, along with his two cents about studies. Dr. Michael Putman’s podcast, The Evidence Based Rheumatology Podcast, breaks down key trials in rheumatology, combs through the statistical analysis of the trial and provides his interpretation on whether the trial findings are valid. The most recent podcast is from the American College of Rheumatology — ACR on Air — hosted by Dr. Jon Hausmann, who interviews various experts in the field discussing a wide range of topics in rheumatology.
I myself host the Rheuminations podcast, which made its debut in 2018, and is dedicated to ripping yarns of the immune system gone awry. I discuss interesting case presentations, interview experts in the field, as well as walk listeners through the history of certain diseases and the basic science discoveries leading up to breakthrough therapeutics like TNF inhibitors. My goal is to look at the stories of individuals who started to unravel many of these strange diseases that we as rheumatologists take for granted.
For example, do you realize how many conditions TNF inhibitors were trialed on before rheumatoid arthritis? Do you know how uric acid crystals were proven to trigger gout attacks? Rheumatology is a specialty made for telling stories, and my goal is to present it in a humorous and compelling way.
Considering the many constraints on the time of health care providers, which seem to allow less time for reading journals and more time dedicated to vigorously clicking buttons in electronic medical records, podcasts are emerging as a clear medium that allows providers to listen and learn on the go. Multiple rheumatology podcasts are available, each with a unique perspective on the field and each one entertaining and informative. You won’t feel these podcasts are a chore to listen to — give them a try, and I think you will look forward to the next episode!
Follow @HRheuminations on Twitter for the latest episode debuts and send ideas for stories you want to hear on my podcast to @AdamJBrownMD.
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- Adam J. Brown, MD, is a rheumatologist in the department of rheumatologic and immunologic disease at Cleveland Clinic.
Disclosure: Brown reports no relevant financial disclosures.