Seven Public Health Podcasts to Check Out

April 26, 2023 | Avalon Warner-Gonzales

There’s a lot to keep track of in public health. Whether it’s an active emergency or the day-to-day programs supporting communities, public health is always moving and evolving. It’s critical to keep up to date with the latest news and resources in the field, but it can be difficult for busy professionals to find the time to keep abreast.

Podcasts are a great resource to get the information you need. Whether you’re back in the office or working from home, podcasts are easy to integrate into your routine. You can listen to them during your commute, as you go for a walk, while you’re doing chores around the house—wherever and whenever works best for you.

Today, we’re looking at some podcasts that can keep you informed, motivated, and ready to do your best work.

Redefining Rest for Public Health Professionals

Marissa McKool is a career and life coach who takes her experience of working in public health for over a decade to help others find balance in their work in her podcast Redefining Rest for Public Health Professionals. The show helps listeners redefine productivity and rest, release themselves from unrealistic expectations, and create healthier, more fulfilling relationships with their work.

After three years of responding to a pandemic, public health professionals have been particularly vulnerable to burnout and toxic stress. If you’re finding yourself fatigued, consider adding this podcast to your rotation.

Public Health Careers

Omari Richins, founder of The Public Health Millennial platform, chats with professionals and students in Public Health Careers to hear their unique and diverse public health career stories. Richins and his guests provide key tips and insights to help listeners along their own public health career journey.

The show offers insightful stories, career strategies, actionable tips, and resources to assist public health professionals in taking the next step in their careers—if you’re a student or early career professional looking ahead, this is the podcast for you.

Equity Matters Podcast

The Equity Matters Podcast, hosted by James Bell III, amplifies the voices of professionals in public health and other sectors working to advance equity and justice. Bell and his guests share their stories and experiences from their journeys to champion equity, and what steps we can take to continue promoting this cause in our own work.

If you’re looking for more ways to incorporate health equity and social justice into your professional practice, check out Equity Matters.

The Public Health SPOTlight Podcast

In the Public Health SPOTlight Podcast, Sujani Sivanantharajah of PH SPOT sits down with public health heroes from around the world to share career stories, inspiration, and guidance for building public health careers. The show’s guests run the gamut of public health and bring a wealth of diverse experiences and paths that bring them to where they are today.

If you’re looking for a little inspiration today, look no further than your own peers and colleagues—give this show a listen.

This Podcast Will Kill You

On each episode of This Podcast Will Kill You, co-hosts Erin Welsh and Erin Allmann Updyke take a deep dive into a different disease—covering its biology, history, and its impact on the current day. The Erins combine their expertise in disease ecology and epidemiology with an approachable and grounded style, making this a great resource for laypeople and experts alike.

If you like to get into the nitty gritty of diseases and medical mysteries, or you’re looking for examples of effective science communication, check out This Podcast Will Kill You.

Public Health Epidemiology Conversations

Charlotte Huntley hosts Public Health Epidemiology Conversations, a podcast exploring public health careers, epidemiology, and public health entrepreneurship. Huntley’s guests share their expertise across the full spectrum of public health and how to get the most of your work.

If you’re interested in a multi-disciplinarian approach to public health, or you’re looking for examples of public health practice outside of governmental agencies, you’ll enjoy the wide breadth of conversations in this podcast.

Public Health Review

Public Health Review, hosted by Robert Johnson, is ASTHO's podcast featuring public health and thought leaders who tackle everyday issues impacting the communities they serve. The show explores innovative topics from social and behavioral health to emergency preparedness, infectious disease, environmental impacts, and health disparities.

If you’re interested in learning about current public health trends directly from lead health officials across the nation, this is the show for you.

Press Play on Public Health

Podcasts are a great way to integrate more news, inspiration, and entertainment into your routine. Whether you start with these suggestions, or some from last year’s list, or any of the other wonderful public health podcasts available online, there’s never been a better time to hop onto the bandwagon.