We had the pleasure of sitting down with Lara Varpio at the ASME Conference 2024, to talk about her journey into podcasting and the evolving landscape of academic communication.
Hi Lara, first, what does attending conferences like ASME mean to you?
“For me, a conference is all about connecting with community. One of the things that’s interesting about medical education is that the world is small. In many individual centers, there aren’t many of us, so it can start to feel lonely. But when you come to a conference like ASME, suddenly you’re reminded—these are my people. It’s a little bit like coming home”
Why do you podcast?
“That’s a good question. Honestly, a central reason I podcast is because I know that in many institutions, there’s often only one person focusing on medical education. When you’re in that kind of space, it can be really hard to make connections or find good resources. I was once in that position, and I know how difficult it can be.”
“I’m fortunate to be in a space where I have more support and time than many others, so I feel a responsibility to help grow resources for people who might be on their own. Podcasting offers an easy-access format—they can listen while rowing, doing laundry, or sitting with their child as they fall asleep. If I can help be part of that kind of resource, then absolutely, that’s why I do it.”
The way people learn and consume academic resources is changing. Once upon a time, publishing a paper was the end goal. But now, journals aren’t necessarily the first place people go to learn.
Sometimes, a published paper feels like the end of the story. But would you say that a podcast is just the beginning of something else?
“Absolutely. The way people learn and consume academic resources is changing. Once upon a time, publishing a paper was the end goal. But now, journals aren’t necessarily the first place people go to learn. They want content in different formats, and the podcast allows us to highlight research, discuss key findings, and explore areas for improvement.”
“And that’s not the end either. How can we make research even more accessible? We’ve already lowered the barrier from reading a journal article to listening to a podcast episode. What’s next? Can we take it further? Blogs? YouTube shorts? There’s a whole ecosystem of communication channels that academia has largely ignored. I think exploring that is exciting.”
There’s a whole ecosystem of communication channels that academia has largely ignored. I think exploring that is exciting.
What’s the difference between a good academic paper and a good paper for a podcast?
“A good academic paper has clear insights, rigorous methods, and connects to a broader conversation. But that doesn’t always make for a great podcast episode. Sometimes, the best papers for a podcast are the ones I strongly disagree with! They spark discussion.”
“Other times, a paper may not be exceptional overall, but there’s a clever detail—maybe an innovative methodology or a particularly useful appendix—that’s worth highlighting. We once did an episode focusing almost entirely on an appendix because it was such a valuable resource for writing ethics statements. So, a good paper for a podcast isn’t always the “best” paper—it’s one that generates meaningful conversation.”
So, a good paper for a podcast isn’t always the “best” paper—it’s one that generates meaningful conversation.”
What would you say to the researchers whose papers you feature?
“First, thank you. Writing and publishing research is a huge effort, and we’re grateful for the work authors put in. When we discuss a paper on the podcast, we do it because we see something important in it, whether we’re praising it or debating aspects of it.”
“I also hope authors will engage with us—write back, share their thoughts, send us an audio memo! The more we interact, the richer the academic conversation becomes.”
And what about your listeners?
“Thank you for letting us into your lives—whether it’s in your home, during a workout, or while commuting. We do this because we love it, but the podcast is only valuable if it’s useful to our audience. So, I hope listeners will tell us what they need. What topics interest you? What formats work best? As Simon Fleming once said, “Feedback is the breakfast of champions.” The more we hear from our listeners, the better we can make this resource.”
The upcoming Educational Congress at KI focuses on the human dimensions of education. What aspect of that would you highlight?
“I would highlight the uniqueness of every learner. Each of us has different backgrounds—physical abilities, social demographics, racial and religious identities, rural or urban experiences. The human dimension of education is about meeting each learner where they are and helping them grow. That’s hard work because it’s much easier to teach to the “average.” But real education means embracing diversity and individual learning journeys.”
Academic communication is evolving, and I love being part of that change.
Any final thoughts?
“Just that I’m excited to see where all of this goes! Academic communication is evolving, and I love being part of that change.”
(This article is made from a video interview made by Teresa Sörö, at ASME conference 2024.
The Educational Congress at KI that is mentioned was held in October 2024 )
Want more of Lara?
We have all episodes that Lara hosts, collected in a tag for you! Enjoy!
