The document discusses the origins and goals of the Pritzker Podcast, which was the first use of podcasting in medical school admissions. It aims to provide transparency about the medical school application process and build rapport with applicants. With low production costs, the podcast reaches thousands of listeners and has received positive feedback about helping applicants prepare for interviews and encouraging their decision to attend. There is potential to expand podcasting to other areas of medical education.

1. The Pritzker Podcast
A novel way to communicate with medical school applicants
Ben Ferguson | Mary Bister
University of Chicago
Research in Progress
29 January 2009
1

2. Podcasting in medical education
Ben Ferguson | Mary Bister
University of Chicago
Research in Progress
29 January 2009
2

3. Outline
Introduction to podcasting
Growth of iPod and media player use
Growth of podcasts and expansion into new forms of supplementary media
Podcasting in (medical) education
The Pritzker Podcast
Listenership and listener responses
Potential for applications in other areas of medical education
The future of the Pritzker Podcast
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4. Disclaimers
We are not official representatives of the Pritzker School of
Medicine.
We (mostly) do not make admissions, financial aid, or curriculum
decisions.
We are probably less important than we are about to make
ourselves sound.
We are mere medical students, as well as recent ancestors to the
modern-day, struggling medical school applicant.
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5. Introduction to podcasting
iPOD + broadCAST
Series of downloadable audio or video episodes hosted on internet
Subscriptions using RSS feed (e.g. using iTunes)
Time- and place-shifted media consumption
Simple and very inexpensive to produce
5

6. Introduction to podcasting
A podcast is a digital audio or video file that is:
episodic
downloadable
program-driven, mainly with a host and/or theme
convenient, usually via an automated feed with computer
software
Center for Journalism and Communication
Research, University of Texas 6

7. Growth of iPod and media player use
7

8. Own iPod or Other MP3 Player
80%
73
71
64
60% 55
54
51 52
48
46
42
39 38 38
40%
34
31 30 30 31
24 24
20% 16
14 15
7 6 6 6
2
0%
12-17 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
2006 2007 2008 2009
The Infinite Dial. Arbitron/Edison Media Research.
Jan 2009. 8

9. Percent of all 8- to 18-year-olds who own an iPod/MP3 player
2009 76%
2004 18%
Kaiser Family Foundation / New York Times. 20 Jan
2010. 9

10. “That iPods are ‘in’ on college campuses might not surprise you. That
Apple's portable music players are more popular than beer?
Now that's surprising.”
—USA Today, 2006
iPods knock over beer mugs. USA Today. 7 Jun
2006. 10

11. 93% of college students who own iPods use them every day
40% for 1-3 hours every day
(~2.5 hours on average)
Ferguson et al. J Radio Stud. 2007;14(2):102-21. 11

12. “By 2010 podcast audience growth is expected to reach a conservative
45 million users who will have ever listened to a podcast. Aggressive
estimates place this number closer to 75 million by this date.”
—Bridge Ratings
The Podcasting Outlook. Bridge Ratings. 12 Nov
2005. 12

13. Aware of Audio Podcasts Audio Podcast Ever-Consumers
50% 25%
43% 22%
40% 37% 37% 20%
18%
30% 15%
13%
22% 11%
20% 10%
10% 5%
0% 0%
2006 2007 2008 2009 2006 2007 2008 2009
Among 12+ population
The Infinite Dial. Arbitron/Edison Media Research.
Jan 2009. 13

14. Aware of Audio Podcasts Audio Podcast Ever-Consumers
50% 25%
43% 22% ~54 million people
40% 37% 37% 20%
18%
30% 15%
13%
22% 11%
20% 10%
10% 5%
0% 0%
2006 2007 2008 2009 2006 2007 2008 2009
Among 12+ population
The Infinite Dial. Arbitron/Edison Media Research.
Jan 2009. 13

15. “What is the main reason you watch/listen to podcasts?”
Access whenever I want 35%
Content unavailable elsewhere 15%
Portability 13%
More control over content 13%
Fewer commercials 9%
Shorter content 3%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
The Podcast Consumer Revealed. Arbitron/Edison
Media Research. Jan 2009. 14

16. “You generally trust the hosts of the podcasts you watch/listen to.”
The Podcast Consumer Revealed. Arbitron/Edison
Media Research. Jan 2009. 15

17. “30% [of college students] create or listen to podcasts.”
—Experience, Inc., 2006
2006 Media Perception Survey. Experience, Inc. 19
Jul 2006. 16

18. The case for podcasting
17

19. Podcasting’s expansion into supplementary media
18

20. Podcasting in medicine and science
19

21. Podcasting in medicine and science
20

22. Podcasting in education
T O U R S T O P S
1. Crimson Promenade
2. Woods Quad
3. Morgan Hall
4. Bidgood Hall
5. Bashinsky
6. Bryant-Denny Stadium
7. Reese-Phifer Hall
8. Denny Chimes
9. Corner of Quad
10. Nott Hall
11. Gorgas Library
12. Engineering Row
13. Corner of Campus & 7th
14
14. Lakeside Dining
13 15. Ferguson Plaza
15 12
1
2 10
11
3 9
4
8
5
7
6
iTour Bama. http://itour.ua.edu 21

23. iTour Bama. http://itour.ua.edu 22

24. iTour Bama. http://itour.ua.edu 22

25. Podcasting in medical education
23

26. 24

27. The Pritzker Podcast
Origins: Pritzker chats, science/medicine podcasts, growing role of
social media and technology in medicine and medical education
Goals: transparency, informativeness, rapport
Cost: <$50 at outset, <$100/year
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28. The Pritzker Podcast
Means: USB headphones, free VoIP, free audio recording/editing
software, free blogging/podcasting platforms, file hosting, domain
registration
Topics: the application, tips and advice, FAQs, financial aid,
interviewing, school features, research programs, updates
Interaction: email, SDN Forums, on-site questions, chat questions,
word-of-mouth, Twitter, Facebook, FriendFeed, Google Voice
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29. 27

30. This is the first use of podcasting in medical admissions.
28

31. “A shapeshifting, virtual brochure that answers in depth
frequently- and non-frequently-asked questions alike.”
29

32. 30

33. Skype
Mary Joni
Sk
e
yp
yp
Sk
e
Ben
31

34. Skype
Mary Joni
Sk
e
yp
yp
Sk
e
Ben
31

35. 32

36. 33

37. 34

38. 35

39. 36

40. 37

41. 38

42. 39

43. 40

44. Listenership and listener responses
41

45. 39,151 unique downloads
42

46. 39,151 unique downloads
(~1,500 per episode)
42

47. 43

48. 44

49. “I drove almost six hours to my interview, and I found that listening to
the podcasts was a great way to keep me awake during the drive as
well as a convenient way to get some more information about Pritzker.”
45

50. “I always felt like the application process was like smoke and mirrors,
but hearing the words right out of the mouth of the admissions
personnel...made things much, much clearer.”
46

51. “Your shows are informative and interesting, and have convinced me
that Pritzker is right for me!...I’ve listened to upwards of 10 of your
podcasts. This has helped me prepare for this and all my interviews.”
47

52. “The episode transcripts definitely helped me prepare for my interview
and gave me a better sense of Pritzker's mission.”
48

53. 100% agreed or strongly agreed that Pritzker was
accurately represented.
88% agreed or strongly agreed that the Pritzker Podcast
encouraged their decision to attend.
49

54. Applications in other areas of medical education?
Lecture recordings (audio/video; Pritzker/Bowman/Schwartz/Grand Rounds)
iTunesU
Residency/fellowship programs
Continuing medical education
Patient education/preventive medicine
Press/promotion/advertising/bragging
50

55. The future of the Pritzker Podcast
Video tours/podcasts?
Forum?
Faculty profiles?
Lecture/seminar recordings?
Live broadcasts with chatrooms?
Augmented reality?
iPhone application?
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56. Thanks
Joni Krapec Laura Hodges David Raleigh Vinny Arora
David Owen Colleen Plein Erica Sullivan Shalini Reddy
Sylvia Robertson Becky Bielang Mike Drazer Leo Faoro
Holly Humphrey Erin Kirkham Katie Gielissen Herb Abelson
Halina Brukner Mac Walter Marcus Dahlstrom
Darrel Waggoner Mike Glista Melanie Odeleye
Anthony Montag Jeff Eisen Lucia Navar
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57. Thank you too.
Questions?
53

58. Resources
Pritzker Podcast
http://pritzkerpodcast.com
Podcasting: A Teaching with Technology White Paper
http://www.cmu.edu/teaching/resources/PublicationsArchives/StudiesWhitepapers/
Podcasting_Jun07.pdf
A Podcast Primer
http://www.radicaltrust.ca/2007/08/07/a-podcast-primer/
Making a Podcast (Apple)
http://www.apple.com/itunes/podcasts/specs.html
The Podcasting Legal Guide (Creative Commons)
http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Welcome_To_The_Podcasting_Legal_Guide
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