Also, be wary of the speaker’s opinion when reading an accompanying journal article and first try to form your own opinion. Remember, podcasts are not a peer-reviewed source of information.

Responsibility for avoiding the dangers of podcasting lies with both the listener and the producer. When consuming the content, always listen with skepticism. Never just listen and move on. The safest way of integrating and dissecting the content is to listen, read the accompanying journal articles or summaries, listen again, and then read another source of information on the subject. Even better is discussing the content with colleagues.

This process takes more work but guards against misguidance. For podcast producers, never just “rant.” Create evidence-based content with robust show notes. The online resources have more value that the audio itself. Podcasting serves a vital role in the education in and advancement of emergency medicine, and producers, like the editors of a textbook, are stewards of the field.

As with everything else in medicine, we must remain aware of the potential dangers in order to reap the benefits.

Dr. Ostermayer is an emergency medicine resident at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.