Abstract
Background
The rise of Free Open Access Medical Education (FOAM) has transformed how Emergency Medicine (EM) practitioners access educational content. While widely adopted globally, its use in South Africa has not been well studied. This study aimed to assess the use of modern (FOAM/social media) and traditional (textbooks/journals) educational resources among EM faculty in Gauteng, South Africa.Methods
A descriptive, cross-sectional survey was conducted among EM specialists and registrars (trainees/ residents) affiliated with the University of the Witwatersrand and the University of Pretoria from October 2023 to December 2024. A self-administered online questionnaire was used to collect data on resource preferences, frequency of use, perceived quality, reasons for use, and barriers to access. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data.Results
Fifty-five responses were received (76% registrars, 24% consultants). FOAM use was high, with 100% of respondents using blogs, 98% using podcasts, and 91% using social media for EM education. Textbooks and journals remained widely used (89%), particularly for in-depth learning. EMCrit and Life in the Fast Lane (LITFL) were the most frequently accessed FOAM resources. The social media platform X (formerly Twitter) was commonly used on a daily basis for educational purposes. In contrast, restricted-access platforms like Challenger and ENLIGHTENme were used infrequently. The most cited reason for FOAM use was EM education (93%), while point-of-care learning was less common (69%). Notably, 22% of respondents overall reported never checking the references of FOAM content. All respondents reported adequate internet access, with no barriers related to connectivity.Conclusion
Modern educational resources such as FOAM and social media are widely used among EM faculty, with traditional resources still valued for foundational knowledge. Respondents preferred modern resources for their accessibility and relevance, and no major barriers to FOAM use were identified. These findings support the integration of high-quality FOAM content into EM education, alongside strategies to strengthen critical appraisal skills.