Most of us have commutes. For some, they’re a daily reminder of the fact that there’s usually someplace else we’d rather be. But for the lucky few, the daily commute is an opportunity to relax and learn. You too can be among the enlightened ones. Cultivating a podcasting habit will help.

These podcasts are must-listens for any doctor. They are among the best for broadening your clinical and healthcare industry knowledge, being a better physician, building financial security, or simply becoming a more well-rounded person outside of your medical career.

 

Financial Residency

The Financial Residency podcast promises to provide the financial education you didn’t have time for in medical school. And it does a good job of it. The financial-advisor host, Ryan Inman, is married to a physician. He brings this first-hand experience to help physicians build the financial skills and habits they need to keep more of the money they make.

 

2 Docs Talk

Medicine is constantly evolving. How can a doctor keep up?

A podcast on the shorter side (episodes are about 15 minutes), “2 Docs Talk” features doctors Kendall Britt and Amy Rogers as they explore new developments in medicine, such as “Treating Opioid Addiction” and “What’s on the Horizon for Colon Cancer Screening.” “2 Docs Talk” touches on nearly every specialty, as well as COVID-19, healthcare insurance, and personal health tips, making it a podcast for pretty much every physician out there.

 

Everyday Emergency

A podcast both educational and inspiring, “Everyday Emergency” follows the nonprofit organization Doctors Without Borders, featuring interviews with medical experts in countries across the world and telling the harrowing stories of healthcare workers and the patients they are treating.

This podcast offers incredible coverage of medical experts traveling around the globe helping those in need, educating listeners about current problems affecting other countries, including war, natural disasters, or disease. 

 

This Podcast Will Kill You

Well, not literally. “This Podcast Will Kill You” focuses on infectious diseases that have the potential to kill. The episodes are on the longer side (about 90 minutes) and feature two epidemiologists talking about a disease per episode, breaking it down by historical cases, its biology, and just how scared you should be.

“This Podcast Will Kill You” is not only interesting but also treads a fine line between humor and downright terror—a combination few podcasts balance as perfectly as this one. After listening to just a few of these episodes, we’re fairly confident you’ll up your hand-hygiene game.

 

Docs Outside the Box

Meet Dr. Nii Darko, a trauma surgeon, entrepreneur, author, and host of the Docs Outside the Box podcast.

In his own words, he wanted a life and career that was outside of the box. He put together this podcast to showcase doctors who have accomplished just that—hoping to show up-and-comers, as well as veteran physicians, that there are other paths to take.

 

The Hippocratic Hustle

Carrie Reynolds—a pediatric gastroenterologist and serial entrepreneur—wants listeners of The Hippocratic Hustle to break free. This podcast is all about finding that magical balance of a rewarding career, lucrative side ventures, and a meaningful life. The Hustle focuses on female doctors who have reached financial independence by getting creative with side projects. Special personal finance episodes are co-created with dermatologist Bonnie Koo, who you might also know as Wealthy Mom MD.

 

The Short Coat

Those who are just starting their medical career might benefit the most from listening to this podcast. Geared toward current or prospective med students, “The Short Coat” offers an in-depth look at what med schools are like. The podcast tackles a variety of questions, from “How to deal with stress and burnout?” to “How will medical school change you?” 

While “The Short Coat” may be great for a younger audience, that doesn’t mean it’s meant exclusively for med students. Veteran physicians may find this podcast enjoyable and informative as it relates to problems that residents, interns, and medical students are facing.

 

Surviving Medicine

For physicians who want to become practice owners, we highly recommend “Surviving Medicine.” This podcast focuses more on the business side of healthcare, as well as various topics related to current medical education and healthcare operations.

We specifically suggest the episode featuring BoardVitals co-founder and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Andrea Paul. She discusses her career post-medical school and onward, including starting her own business and eventually becoming a successful physician/entrepreneur.

 

The Tim Ferriss Show

This isn’t a medical podcast, but it can’t be all medicine all the time. You need some balance. Tim brings experts from industry, sports, music, you name it, to pick their brains about what drives them toward excellence. As a result, Ferriss might just be the most well-rounded person alive.

There is a myriad of life and work lessons to be gleaned from Ferriss’ guests. The best part about Tim’s interviews is they almost always deliver tips you can put into action immediately. Start with this episode with chess champion and learning theorist Josh Waitzkin.

 

This Won’t Hurt a Bit

What would life be without humor? Dr. Mel Herbert and Dr. Jess Mason are the physicians behind This Won’t Hurt a Bit, a highly entertaining and funny podcast. This Won’t Hurt a Bit ranges in topics and formats, from the intricacies of botulism and marijuana, to what-if scenarios, such as: Could modern medicine have saved president James Garfield from an assassin’s bullet? Start with this episode on outdated medical practices.