Yousra Maghmoul and Nathalie El-Hawli, former STARS (Students and Trainees Advocating for Resource Stewardship) student leaders, are raising awareness about Choosing Wisely – one conversation at a time.

Their new podcast series, Le PodCAS (CAS for Choisir avec soin, which is Choosing Wisely in French), is designed for medical students and those interested in gaining a deeper understanding of overuse and resource stewardship issues. The podcast features engaging interviews with experts on various topics, ranging from medication appropriateness to climate considerations in health care.

The podcast originated as a project undertaken by Nathalie and Yousra in collaboration with other students from the University of Montreal’s Choosing Wisely Interest Group from 2022 to 2023. They share that the series provides an accessible format to disseminate the principles of Choosing Wisely, providing medical students an engaging way to explore overuse topics beyond the classroom.

“We wanted to create a long-lasting resource in the form of a series of podcast episodes discussing resource stewardship in different medical specialties or fields,” they share.

With four episodes released, the podcast has gained 200 total plays and attracted nearly 50 followers on Spotify. With a fifth episode in the works, Nathalie and Yousra are excited about growing their audience and exploring new topics to be featured in the series.

Beyond their involvement in the STARS program, Yousra and Nathalie remain dedicated to advancing resource stewardship efforts in their undergraduate medical training. Alongside the podcast series, they are actively organizing an interactive presentation with current Université Laval STARS students.

Looking ahead, Nathalie and Yousra are excited about their future pursuits in resource stewardship. Nathalie is interested in advocating for the integration of resource stewardship principles in health care systems, emphasizing the importance of reducing low-value care for both patients and the planet.

Yousra shares an interest in medical education, potentially considering teaching in the future and incorporating Choosing Wisely principles to inspire the next generation of health care professionals.

Yousra and Nathalie’s dedication to producing the podcast series beyond the STARS program reflects their commitment to continuing important conversations about Choosing Wisely. To catch up on past interviews or stay tuned for future episodes, follow Le PodCAS on Spotify.