Behind The Knife: The Surgery Podcast

If you operate or plan to, Behind The Knife is basically required listening at this point. Frequently called the world's number one surgery podcast, it covers an absurdly wide range of specialties: colorectal, trauma, bariatric, vascular, breast, endocrine, pediatric, plastic surgery, and more. The show publishes twice a week, with over 500 episodes in its catalog, so there is a lot to work through. The format rotates hosts depending on the surgical topic. Jason Bingham, John McClellan, Kevin Kniery, and a rotating cast of surgeons from various academic medical centers take turns leading episodes, which gives each installment a slightly different feel while maintaining a consistent educational standard. Some episodes are straightforward expert interviews. Others function as board review sessions or journal club discussions, breaking down recent literature with the kind of clinical nuance that textbooks just cannot replicate. What makes Behind The Knife particularly useful for surgical trainees is the dual-format approach to test preparation. You get high-yield content delivered in a conversational style, which is far more tolerable during a long commute or between cases than reading another review book chapter. But attendings listen too, because the interviews with surgical leaders often touch on career development, leadership in academic medicine, and the evolving culture of surgical training. It is a podcast that grows with you from medical school through fellowship and beyond.