25 Medical Podcasts Healthcare Providers Should Listen To
Medical research, health innovations and just plain entertaining stories
As a healthcare professional, staying on top of the latest research and innovations in your field is important. However, when you subtract time spent sleeping, eating, bathroom breaks and family, there’s only so much time left in a day. That’s what makes podcasts so convenient – they’re an entertaining and easy way to get the latest industry insights.
The downside? There are SO MANY podcasts to choose from these days that it can get overwhelming and you wind up in a paradox of choice (the more choices you have, the less likely you are to choose). So, we did some research, scoured Reddit threads and found the top healthcare podcasts enjoyed by other providers with some of our own recommendations mixed in.
Medical Research Podcasts
New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM)
This might be a no-brainer, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t include the NEJM! It’s one of the most influential academic journals out there. Each episode is 30 minutes long and is available on Apple, Android and Windows devices. Making it extremely accessible. Their group of podcasts cover the latest on medical research, interviews, AI, clinical practice and so much more.
Listen to their podcasts here >>
Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)
Another well-known medical resource but in podcast form (which is the best form). JAMA’s group of podcasts cover topics in medical news, stats and methods, recent research and interviews with JAMA authors. Most episodes are around 15 to 20 minutes long — quick, digestible and to the point.
Listen to their podcasts here >>
Johns Hopkins Medical Podcast
Just like the others, Johns Hopkins offers several podcasts discussing various topics in the healthcare field like patient safety, chronic disease, critical care, genetics, obesity and much more. Their nursing podcast is a great resource. Their goal is to build the capacity for nurses to participate in the three forms of inquiry: research, evidence-based practice (EBP) and quality improvement (QI). The episodes are a little shorter with the average being 10 minutes.
Listen to their podcasts here >>
Freakonomics, M.D
Freakonomics, M.D is hosted by the Harvard physician, economist and author of Random Acts of Medicine, Dr. Bapu Jena. Each week, Dr. Jena digs into fascinating studies at the intersection of medicine and economics. You can expect topics like “Tom Brady, A.D.H.D, and a Really Bad Headache” and “The E.R. Doctor’s Dilemma”.
Listen on Apple Podcasts here >>
Huberman Lab
If you haven’t heard of Andrew Huberman already, it was only a matter of time until you did. The Huberman effect is real.
Andrew Huberman, Ph.D., is a neuroscientist and tenured professor in the department of neurobiology, and by courtesy, psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford School of Medicine. He has made significant contributions to the fields of brain development, brain function and neural plasticity. His podcast, Huberman Lab discusses neuroscience — how our brain and its connections with the organs of our body control our perceptions, our behaviors and our health.
Listen on Apple Podcast here >>
Superbugs Unplugged
This podcast is a joint project of the Antibiotic Resistance Action Center, Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University and the UC Berkeley School of Public Health. The monthly podcast dives into the critical health threat of antibiotic resistance and what drives it. Co-hosts Dr. Lance Price and Dr. Jau Graham cover a new topic on antibiotic resistance every episode like its use in agriculture, human health care and challenges and opportunities in R&D. Episode length varies from 20 to 40 minutes.
Listen on Apple Podcasts here >>
Cardionerds
As the name suggests, Cardionerds is all about cardiology but presenting high yield cardiovascular concepts in a fun and engaging format. Hosted by physicians within the field of cardiology, this podcast is high-level and meant for those with some medical knowledge due to their highly specialized topics. In each 30 to 60 minute episode, you can expect topics like “Anticoagulation Pharmacology & Clinical Decision-Making”, “GLP-1 Agonists” and even case reports.
Listen on Apple Podcasts here >>
Healthcare Innovation and Career Podcasts
Digital Health Today 360
In this weekly podcast, Digital Health Today 360 features innovators, leaders and pioneers that are reshaping the health and wellness space. They invite clinicians, patients, inventors, CEOs and investors from around the globe to share their experience from “the front lines of health tech.” It really is a can’t miss podcast with the current explosion digital health is experiencing.
Listen on Apple Podcasts here >>
FreshRN
The first year as a nurse can be overwhelming. FreshRN is hosted by Kati Kleber, MSN RN and features other experienced nurses to offer advice and tips on navigating that first year. They cover topics from orientations, code blues, tricks of the trade, personal experiences, time management, delegation, patient deaths and more. Episodes can range from 30 to 60 minutes. This is a great podcast for those just entering the nursing field.
Listen on Apple Podcasts here >>
The Curious Clinicians
This is definitely a podcast for the medical nerds out there. The Curious Clinician discusses the “why” of medicine — why does the body function the way it does, why do diseases present certain ways, why do providers prescribe certain treatments and what are their mechanisms? If you’re curious about the why and open to challenging yourself as a healthcare professional, this is the podcast for you.
Listen on Apple Podcasts here >>
The Nurse Keith Show
Another one for the nurses or those looking to get into nursing. The Nurse Keith Show offers up-to-date advice and knowledge for savvy 21st-century nurses. Hosted by board-certified holistic career coach Keith Carlson, BSN, RN, NC-BC — the podcast explores topics on career management, multidisciplinary collaboration, public health and healthcare delivery, social justice and entrepreneurship through personal monologues and expert guests. Each episode is about 60 minutes long.
Listen on Apple Podcasts here >>
Fixing Healthcare
Is there anything in the healthcare system you think is broken or just really grinds your gears? Fixing Healthcare is a bi-weekly podcast covering the flaws and issues we see in our healthcare system. Co-hosts Pobert Pearl and Jeremy Corr offer key perspectives on the industry’s flaws and the opportunities we have to enact change. Episode length varies from 20 to 40 minutes.
Listen on Apple Podcasts here >>
An Arm and A Leg
Even with health insurance, healthcare in the U.S. can cost an arm and a leg (see what they did there?) A monthly podcast that puts health care costs in the hot seat and discusses ways we can (maybe) do something about it. Hosted by award-winning reporter Dan Weissmann, this podcast dives deeper into healthy policy, medical debt and medical bankruptcy. This is a podcast for those within and outside the healthcare system.
Listen on Apple Podcasts here >>
The Rural Health Voice
Access to healthcare in rural parts of the country have long been a problem for those who live there. Driving hours to their nearest PCP and even longer for any specialty care they need. The Rural Health Voice is a Virginia Rural Health Association podcast that interviews leaders on the local, state and national level about rural health issues. These topics include access to medications, oral health, food insecurity and its effect on health outcomes and public health policy. Each episode is about 30 minutes long.
Listen on Apple Podcasts here >>
The Nocturnists
An award-winning, bi-monthly medical storytelling podcast. The Nocturnists is hosted by physician Emily Silverman and features personal stories from frontline clinicians and conversations with healthcare-related authors and artists. This podcast offers a platform where clinicians can share experiences, struggles and demands that come with being a healthcare professional in this day and age. Each episode ranges from 30 to 45 minutes in length.
Listen on Apple Podcasts here >>
TED Health
We’re all likely familiar with TED Talks, but as the name suggests, this podcast is strictly about health and healthcare. Part of the TED Audio Collective, TED Health, hosted by Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider, invites speakers to answer the health question you never knew you had in order to live healthier, happier lives. Anything from how to combat our sedentary lifestyles to the functions of artificial skin, this podcast breaks it down in digestible 15 to 30 minute episodes.
Listen on Apple Podcasts here >>
The Hidden Brain
This podcast looks at what unconscious behaviors drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships through a storytelling lens. Hosted by Shankar Vedantam with a guest star each episode, The Hidden Brain dives deeper into topics like “Where do feelings come from?”, “Life After Loss” and even “The Secret to Great Teams”. Each episode runs 45 to 60 minutes long.
Listen on Apple Podcasts here >>
Straight Talk MD
Dr. Sweeney takes a fearless approach to the intersections of health and questions the broader factors that affect us with political controversies, burnout, cloning, vaccines and so much more. The episodes can vary but they usually end up being an hour or more (though you’ll hardly notice). Dr. Sweeny does a great job leading conversations discussing the ins and outs of building a thriving career in healthcare by asking the right questions and becoming a catalyst for change.
Listen on Apple Podcasts here >>
Fun & Entertaining Healthcare Podcasts
Bedside Rounds
Beside Rounds is a storytelling podcast about medical history and medicine's intersection with culture and society. Hosted by Adam Rodman (MD, MPH, FACP), each episode is roughly 30-40 minutes long and discusses weird, wonderful and intensely human stories from history that have impacted modern medicine today.
Listen on Apple Podcasts here >>
Good Nurse, Bad Nurse
This podcast combines a bit of true crime with practical medical advice. Each episode is about 60 minutes long, making it a perfect podcast to throw on while on the road or doing chores around the house. Hosted by a registered nurse with a special guest each episode, it’s a thought provoking and entertaining podcast for those working in the nursing field and those who just like a little bit of true crime!
Listen on Apple Podcasts here >>
Bodies
“Sometimes the sickness is in the body, and sometimes the sickness is in the system.”
Bodies was created by Allison Behringer and is supported by KCRW. This podcast combines medical science with exceptional storytelling. Each episode of this documentary series is about 30 minutes long and begins with a medical mystery. Currently, most of their episodes focus on the medical disparities faced by women. Just like their bio says, "once you peel back the layers of these stories, even more questions emerge!"
Listen on Apple Podcasts here >>
Dr. Death
More of a true crime podcast with a medical twist, Dr. Death is an award-winning podcast hosted by Laura Beil. Now in its fourth season, each season focuses on a healthcare professional who took advantage of their position and leveraged their patients' vulnerability. Each episode is 30 - 40 minutes long and Wondery does require a subscription to listen to their podcast which can be a drawback for some listeners.
Listen on Apple Podcasts here >>
This Podcast Will Kill You
A podcast from the Exactly Right podcast group, the popular This Podcast Will Kill You won’t actually kill you, but you'll learn about all the things that can. Hosts Erin Welsh Ph.D and Erin Allmann Updyke MD, Ph.D tackle a different topic in each episode and teach listeners about biology, history and epidemiology of diseases and medical mysteries. They’ve covered poisons, viruses, bacteria, public health, plague and more. This is a great podcast for those in and out of the healthcare industry interested in the science of things that can kill you. These episodes are jam packed and roughly 90 minutes each.
Listen on Apple Podcasts here >>
Sickboy
Sickboy offers an interesting take on chronic illness and its impact on the individuals it affects. Hosted by three best friends Jeremie, Brian and Taylor; the trio tackle health taboos with people who experienced them firsthand. Jeremie draws from his own lifelong battle with cystic fibrosis, and with help from his friends, uses it to help listeners understand that sometimes the best way to deal with illness and life is through humor. Episodes like “RAGE!!! Health Hazard or Emotional Elixir” and “Flirting with Tourettes: Finding Romance with a Disability” are a peek into what you can expect from this podcast.
Listen on Apple Podcasts here >>
Sawbones
Sawbones is a humorous and modern take on medicine that dives into the dumb, gross, weird and wrong ways we’ve tried to fix people (remember bloodletting). Hosted by Dr. Sydnee McElroy and her husband Justin McElroy, these two talk about “The Great Stink of 1858”, gallbladders, medication reactions to grapefruits, pirate medicine and more. Each episode is about 40 minutes long.
Listen on Apple Podcasts here >>
Powering greater access to healthcare and health literacy
Of course this isn’t an exhaustive list of every healthcare and medical podcast out there. but they’re a great place to start if you are looking to increase your clinical knowledge or simply want some health related storytelling and entertainment.
At OpenLoop, we pride ourselves on being able to bridge the gap between patient and provider—just like these podcasts! Thanks to our NCQA-accredited network of licensed clinicians, we are able to help industry leading virtual care companies expand patient access to healthcare. Sounds interesting?
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