Objective:

To evaluate a novel, time-conscious, case-based neurology podcast series. 

Background:

Time constraints often make it difficult for neurology trainees and providers to dedicate time towards learning clinical neurology outside of work. Although neurology podcasts are increasingly popular, most focus on interviews or topic reviews rather than clinical reasoning.  The DR Pod’s Oliver Snacks podcast series was created to address this gap by providing easily digestible, case-based neurology episodes in an auditory format for learning on the go, with an emphasis on lesion localization and diagnosis based on presenting symptoms. 

Design/Methods:

We analyzed platform analytics (Spotify and Apple Podcasts) across the first 30 episodes of Oliver Snacks, including plays, listener demographics, geographic reach, and engagement.   

Results:

Mean length of podcast episodes was 9 minutes and 4 seconds. Across 1910 plays and 166 total listening hours, the series reached listeners in 43 countries. The majority were aged 28–34, with 64.2% male and 30.4% female. Most listened via Spotify (75.9%). The top five countries were the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada. 

Conclusions:

Short, case-based neurology podcast series represent a novel, scalable, and effective format for reinforcing clinical reasoning for time-constrained learners. The global reach of Oliver Snacks highlights the potential of micropodcast series to expand access to practical neurology education. Future work could assess direct impacts on clinical performance and further expand case-based podcasting in neurology.