Preparing to Record your Episodes

We recommend drafting a script that outlines the goals and learning objectives for each podcast episode which can be shared with all participants prior to recording

Berk, Watto & Williams, authors of “Twelve tips for creating a medical education podcast”

Before launching your podcast, you may need to improve some skills. Here are the essential ones:

Research Skills

You will need to evaluate information and sources constantly. For this reason, expose yourself continuously to a variety of content sources and new learning experiences. Present your findings, use critical analysis, make hypotheses, formulate conclusions and provide solutions to enhance your credibility.

Technical Skills

Get familiar with the tips and tricks to produce an appealing podcast. Be open to learning about equipment, software, audio editing, marketing and the use of search engine optimization. This will give you the freedom of independence in your production and distribution.

Before recording your podcast

Having a script is essential to a successful workflow while recording. Berk, Watto & Williams (2020) suggest preparing some questions and cases for discussion. This strategy allows you to guide the conversation and be sure to cover all the topics you planned.

If you are planning to have guests…

• Gather information about them. You can use your research results to put your guests at ease and make a coherent transition into the interview.
• Encourage guests to pause before answering a question, if needed. You can have a glass of water on hand during the podcast.
• Ask guests to turn off cell phones or other devices with background noises.
• Provide guests with guidelines, when necessary, regarding personal data or other policies you follow.
• Use broader questions to let guests talk about their expertise and narrow questions to request details or focus on a subject.
• Do not forget your audience. If you think there are terms your listeners are not familiar with, request clarification or a definition for them. 

Prepare your Voice

As you rely on your voice, it would be worthwhile training it to sound more empowered, convincing and familiar. This video provides some great tips.