Podcasts have dramatically grown in popularity in recent years. According to a FastCompany report, there are over 550,000 podcasts in existence, and trying to find the top medical podcasts can prove difficult.
We’ve compiled a list of the top medical podcasts for healthcare professionals, students and even intrigued bystanders of the medical industry. These podcasts cover everything from general health news, running a healthcare-based business, medical technology, healthcare IT and much more.
General Medical Podcasts
2 Docs Talk
iTunes: 4.5/5 (118 Votes)
On 2 Docs Talk, Kendall Britt, MD and Amy Rogers, MD cover a wide variety of topics in the medical space. At the time of this writing, the podcast has over 120 episodes, each more engaging than the last. The series covers everything from Medical Marijuana to Drug Pricing and more.
Some of their most popular episodes include:
- Episode 3: Affordable Care Act
- Episode 122: Does everyone get healthcare in the U.S. when they really need it?
- Episode 1: Medical Marijuana
Docs Outside the Box
iTunes: 5/5 (244 Votes)
Docs Outside the Box maintains a loyal fanbase and consistent content quality. Nii Darko’s show “brings stories of ordinary doctors doing extraordinary things to inspire other docs to think outside the box”. This weekly podcast is inspirational, emotional and truly enlightening.
Some of the more popular episodes include:
- Episode 60: Doc Hollywood
- Episode 59: From side gig to full-time hustle
- Episode 1: When the going gets tough…MOVE!
The Doctor Paradox
iTunes: 5/5 (140 Votes)
The Doctor Paradox podcast presents a different view of healthcare from most other medical podcasts in this list. Unlike technological advancements and exciting news from the healthcare space, The Doctor Paradox covers the increasing levels of unhappiness that physicians are facing.
Although they haven’t released an episode since September 2016, the lessons in the over 50 episodes that have been released are invaluable to practicing physicians and healthcare workers everywhere.
Some of the more popular episodes include:
- Episode 54: Prof Barry Schwartz on the Paradox of Choice & Why We Work
- Episode 47: Dr. Dan Siegel on Empathy & Compassion in Healthcare
- Episode 5: The Inevitability of Physician Burnout
Healthcare Happy Hour
iTunes: 5/5 (54 Votes)
The Healthcare Happy Hour podcast is released weekly by the National Association of Health Underwriters. Their episodes are slightly shorter in length, typically 30 minutes or less, and they “recap the week’s top issues in healthcare and health insurance politics and policy”.
Some of their most popular episodes include:
- Episode 2: NAHU CEO Reviews Association Health Plan Final Rule
- Episode 1: AHP Follow-up and Primary Politics of Single Payer
- Episode 3: NAHU CEO Reviews Association Health Plan Final Rule
Straight Talk MD
iTunes: 5/5 (171 Votes)
Dr. Sweeney and his team present one of the highest sound quality medical podcasts we’ve heard, Straight Talk MD. Straight Talk MD doesn’t shy away from chiming on hot-button issues like medical marijuana and vaccinations with a series of thought-provoking interviews. This podcast doesn’t entirely devote it’s efforts to medically focused content, however, the majority of its episodes are on healthcare topics.
Some of their most popular episodes include:
- Drug Dealer MD: The Opioid Epidemic
- The Price of Obesity | Economics of Obesity | Diet | Exercise | Nutrition
- The Broke U.S. Healthcare System: Part I
Healthcare Triage LIVE Show Podcast
iTunes: 5/5 (35 Votes)
The Healthcare Triage podcast stemmed from the Healthcare Triage YouTube channel created by Dr. Aaron Carroll. Although the podcast currently has only 4 episodes to date, if you combine this with the content from the YouTube channel you have an inspiring composition of medicine, healthcare policy, and medical research content.
Some of their most popular episodes include:
- AIDS Research and Cool jobs in the Midwest/East Africa
- Organ Transplants are AMAZING
- Are Night Terrors Contagious?
Medical Business and Marketing Podcasts
The 10 Minute Healthcare Marketing Podcast
iTunes: 5/5 (17 Votes)
The 10 Minute Healthcare Marketing Podcast, hosted by Tyson Downs, is a leading healthcare podcast focused solely on promoting your practice with cutting edge marketing techniques. Tyson sits down with other healthcare professionals and discusses marketing topics including SEO, Web Design, Social Media and much more. Start listening today and get on the path to “growing your practice, getting better quality leads and building your reputation online”.
Some of their most popular episodes include:
- Episode 156: What is Pay Per Click Advertising
- Episode 139: 14 Online Marketing Terms
- Episode 137: 10 Things to Cut from your Healthcare Marketing Budget Part II
The #HCBiz Show!
iTunes: 5/5 (9 Votes)
Hosted by Don Lee and Shahid Shah, The #HCBiz Show podcast dives deep on leading healthcare IT topics. Episodes are posted multiple times a week and feature leading minds in the industry discussing tough topics. The #HCBiz Show describes its’ purpose as “helping you create space for innovation in healthcare through technology (HealthIT | HIT | Digital Health) and workflow. Exploring health policy, administration and the psychology behind it all. Aligning your ideas with business incentives, marketing them to healthcare leaders and getting the sale.”
Some of their most popular episodes include:
- TEFCA, Interoperability, and an Industry’s Unreasonable Expectations
- The Role of a CMO at a large EMR Vendor
- Automating Healthcare Data Collection
Healthcare Security Podcasts
Code Red: HIMSS Cybersecurity Podcast
iTunes: N/A
HIMSS, the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, is well known in the industry for producing thought-provoking content. The Code Red: HIMSS Cybersecurity Podcast follows in these footsteps and does not disappoint. At the time of writing this podcast is up to 16 episodes that “focuses on cybersecurity challenges facing healthcare today & tomorrow, featuring the voices of the people on the front lines”. Cybersecurity concerns and technology continue to expand, and this podcast will help you control your fate on these fronts.
Some of their most popular episodes include:
- Episode #15: Cybersecurity Call to Action: Protect Your Patients and Organization with a Cybersecurity Framework
- Episode #12: How Cybersecurity Frameworks Can Help Protect Providers and Patients
- Episode #9: Strengthening Your Organization’s Cybersecurity Culture
Healthcare Information Security Podcast
iTunes: N/A
The Healthcare Information Security Podcast releases multiple episodes featuring insightful interviews with leading healthcare security practitioners and thought leaders. The podcast is created by HealthcareInfoSecurity.com and covers a range of security-based topics from Privacy Laws to Identity Protection and everything in between.
Some of their most popular episodes include:
- Should Healthcare Companies Ever be Data Brokers
- Big Data: Understanding the Privacy, Security Risks
- Case Study: Protecting Electronic Medical Records
MedTech and Healthcare IT Podcasts
Healthcare Tech Talk Podcast
iTunes: 5/5 (23 Votes)
The Healthcare Tech Talk Podcast is hosted by Terry Baker and Kelley Hill. Despite not releasing a new episode since 2017, the density of the topics covered is what propelled this podcast onto our list. Healthcare Tech Talk “discusses issues around each technology used in the delivery of healthcare, including Healthcare Information Technology, Informatics, Telemedicine and Clinical\Biomedical Engineering Technology”. The breadth and complexity of the episode topics are refreshing and enlightening.
Some of their most popular episodes include:
- Episode 61: Interoperability, the key to precision medicine
- Episode 60: Big Data enabling Precision Medicine
- Episode 48: Meeting the needs of Population Health with Health IT
Medtech Talk Podcast
iTunes: 4.5/5 (18 Votes)
Medtech Talk is an innovation-based healthcare podcast hosted by Healthegy. This interview-based show features conversations with the innovators who will change how healthcare is delivered.
Some of their most popular episodes include:
- Medtech CEOs Herbert, Elsesser on Meeting the Challenges of Leading Companies from Start-Up to IPO
- Three Experiences Medtech CEOs Share Stories of Waging Successful Wars for Device Reimbursement
- CEO John Pedersen Explains Why Urology – and Augmenix – Are Enjoying Such an “Interesting Time”
Healthcare Innovation Podcasts
TEDTalks Science and Medicine
iTunes: 4 / 5 (206)
TED is a leading non-profit media organization that posts content across industries for free. Their slogan “ideas worth spreading” truly embodies their presence in the media world where they enable inspiring ideas to spread across the world. This podcast features “some of the world’s greatest scientists, doctors and medical researchers sharing their discoveries and visions.”
Some of their most popular episodes include:
- Your brain hallucinates your conscious reality
- What you can do to prevent Alzheimer’s
- You can grow new brain cells. Here’s how
TEDTalks Health Podcast
iTunes: 4 / 5 (401 Votes)
Similar to the TEDTalks Science and Medicine podcast mentioned above, TEDTalks Health Podcast is another major source of thought-leading audio content. Of the many content types that the TED organization produces the TEDTalks Health Podcast podcast is arguably the most relevant to the healthcare space. These thrilling episodes feature everything from “way-new medical breakthroughs to smart daily health habits, doctors and researchers share their discoveries about medicine and well-being”.
Some of their most popular episodes include:
- How to stay calm when you know you’ll be stressed
- Everything you think you know about addiction is wrong
- Your words may predict your future mental health
The Future of Healthcare
iTunes: 5/5 (42 Votes)
The Future of Healthcare podcast is released weekly and has glowing reviews on iTunes. The episodes contain “discussions with current health professionals from across the healthcare landscape from physicians and nurses to biomedical engineers and politicians”. Episodes are typically 45 minutes in length and are perfect for your daily commute.
Some of their most popular episodes include:
- Episode 39: Creating Transparency in Healthcare
- Episode 40: Creating a TEDx Event Event – Think Well: Healthcare Out Loud
- Episode 01: What is the Future of Healthcare
Digital Health Today Podcast
iTunes: 5/5 (27 Votes)
The Digital Health Today Podcast is available on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher. Episodes are released weekly and feature innovators, leaders, and pioneers in the health and wellness space. Topics covered include views from patients, clinicians, investors inventors and more!
Some of their most popular episodes include:
- Episode 66: Dr. Kaveh Safavi on Five Trends in Digital Health Technology
- Episode 67: Juan Pablo Segura of Babyscripts on Transforming Prenatal Health & the iBirth Acquisition
- Episode 65: Dr. Jack Kreindler on Healthspan, Human Performance and Fighting Cancer
Innovation that Sticks Podcast
iTunes: N/A
Similar to the Code Red podcast, Innovation that Sticks is released by HIMSS. This podcast features “conversations with innovators who can provide insight into unique and transformative solutions in healthcare through their expertise and experiences.” Episodes are typically posted bi-weekly and dive deep on topics including big data, telemedicine and more.
Some of their most popular episodes include:
- Episode #43: Making Sense of Big Data
- Episode #42: Making an Impact on Care with Telemedicine
- Episode #47: The Value of Embracing Innovation To Improve Patient Care
HealthSounds Podcast
iTunes: N/A
HealthSounds Podcast is a great option for people that want to keep up to date on hot topics but may not have much time. Episodes cover data warehousing, telehealth and more with episodes that are less than 5 minutes in length.
Some of their most popular episodes include:
- Leveraging an Enterprise Data Warehouse To Identify Care Gaps and Clinical Quality Improvement Opportunities
- Waiting on ACO Shared Savings? Here’s 3 Ways to Generate Population Health Revenue Now
- 7 Benefits of Leveraging a Patient Portal to Promote Population Health
Outcomes Rocket
iTunes: 5/5 (34 Votes)
There has been a massive focus as of late on patient outcomes and performance-based healthcare. The Outcomes Rocket podcast is the ideal listening experience for content concentrated on improving healthcare for the patient population. The objective of the podcast and it’s episodes is to “inspire collaborative thinking amongst healthcare leaders to solve problems and create solutions to make healthcare better.” Multiple episodes are published each week providing a plethora of new content on a daily basis for avid listeners.
Some of their most popular episodes include:
- Leveraging Data and Practitioner insights to Improve Outcomes
- How to Become a Healthcare Thought Leader
- Understanding the Power of Coordinated Care Organizations
STEPS to Value Podcast
iTunes: N/A
STEPS to Value podcast is produced by HIMSS. This podcast is unique in that it features the actual stories from thought leaders who have “successfully managed technology, organizational culture, and policy to develop innovative processes that maximize the value of their technology investments”. In a market that is increasing in complexity daily, the STEPS to Value podcast provides helpful use cases from fellow industry veterans that can help you and your practice succeed.
Some of their most popular episodes include:
- Episode #57: The State of Personal Connected Health Interoperability, Pt. 1
- Episode #51: Transforming Data into Intelligence
- Episode $26: Clinical Analytics & The Power of Perspective
Medical Policy and Standards Podcasts
The Healthcare Policy Podcast
iTunes: 4 / 5 (26 Votes)
It can be very difficult to keep up with healthcare policy. Enter The Healthcare Policy Podcast by David Introcaso. This podcast contains interviews with health policy experts on timely healthcare policy adjustments that could potentially impact your practice.
Some of their most popular episodes include:
- Integrating Behavioral Health Into the Medial Home: A Rapid Implementation
- Kip Sullivan Discusses the Flaws and Future of the Medicare ACO Program
- CMS Proposes Direct Provider Contracting: A Conversation with Mara McDermott
Extraneous Podcasts
The Short Coat Podcast
iTunes: 5/5 (90 Votes)
The Short Coat podcast takes a different spin than the others on this list. This podcast is released weekly by Dave Etler and the students of the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. This podcast is entirely focused on medical school and it’s students. Their intention is to provide “honest and fun discussions about the things you need to know about being a med student, medicine, and medical education”.
Some of their most popular episodes include:
- The Secondary Application: Bragging vs. Confidence
- Hotel Influenza, Confirming Right-to-Try Problems, REM Sleep Revealed
- Routines, Right to Try, and Reviews
The Undifferentiated Medical Student
iTunes: 5/5 (225 Votes)
Similar to The Short Coat podcast, The Undifferentiated Medical Student podcast is geared toward med students. However, this podcast is slightly more targeted in nature. Its primary goal is to “help medical students choose a medical specialty and plan a career in medicine.” If you are in medical school, considering it, or are even just interested in how this career-path has evolved, this is the podcast for you.
Some of their most popular episodes include:
- Episode 1: Internal Medicine with Dr. Bryan Hambley
- Episode 2: General Surgery with Dr. Jeffrey Hardacre
- Episode 68: Academic Hospitalist Medicine with Dr. Emily Silverman
Second Opinion
iTunes: 4.5/5 (15 Votes)
The Second Opinion podcast by Michael Wilkes covers some controversial material that is very interesting. This podcast is devoted to the “examination of medical ethics and the practitioners who define them”. This is a great podcast when you are in the mood for outside the box thinking.
Some of their most popular episodes include:
- Episode 1: A neglected tropical disease
- Episode 2: The science of nudge
- Episode 3: The link between weight and guilt
Bedside Rounds
iTunes: 5/5 (57 Votes)
Last but not least is Beside Rounds. This podcast by Adam Rodman is a very different spin on a medical podcast. It “seeks to tell a handful of wonderful, weird, and intensely human stories from the world of medicine that will educate as well as entertain.” Bedside Rounds has hard-hitting humor and eye-opening occurrences that are worth a listen.
Some of their most popular episodes include:
- Episode 1: Frank’s Sign
- Episode 34: The Physical
- Episode 2: Full Code
Sources
- https://www.fastcompany.com/40563318/apples-podcasts-just-topped-50-billion-all-time-downloads-and-streams
