Free Open Access Medical Education


Free Open Access Medical Education is a dynamic collection of online resources and tools designed to promote lifelong learning in emergency medicine. The term was coined in June 2012 at the International Conference on Emergency Medicine in Dublin.

Description

The FOAM movement arose in response to the broader Open Educational Resources movement, reflecting the growing demand for freely available, high-quality educational materials. It gained momentum with the rapid growth of social media and digital platforms, which revolutionised how medical information is accessed and shared.
FOAM is defined by its accessibility via online text- and media-sharing platforms and incorporates formats such as blogs, podcasts, and social media posts. More formal learning resources such as online question banks, YouTube videos, and Massive Open Online Courses, are also components of FOAM.

Impact

FOAM is highly popular among medical students and clinicians. For example, a 2014 survey of emergency medicine residents in the state of Utah found the online audio series EM:RAP was used by some 80% of residents. The accessibility of FOAM materials is considered foundational to the wide dissemination of current medical knowledge, particularly in underserved regions. However, concerns have been raised about the lack of formal peer review and quality control over many FOAM materials. Resource creation is often geographically concentrated, potentially excluding perspectives from lower-resource regions.

Notable FOAM resources

PlatformCountry of originYear foundedPrimary FocusTarget Audience
Academic Life in Emergency Medicine United States2009Emergency medicine education and leadershipEmergency medicine professionals
CanadiEMCanada2015Emergency medicine and critical careHealthcare professionals and trainees
Don't Forget The BubblesAustralia2013Paediatric medicinePaediatricians, healthcare professionals, and parents
EMCritUnited States2009Critical care and emergency medicineCritical care specialists and emergency physicians
Life in the Fast LaneAustralia2007Emergency medicine and critical careGlobal healthcare professionals
MedShrUnited Kingdom2015Case-based learningMedical students and healthcare professionals
PaediatricFOAMGlobal2017Paediatrics and critical careHealthcare providers and students
REBEL EMUnited States2013Emergency medicine and critical careMedical professionals
St. Emlyn'sUnited Kingdom2012Emergency medicine educationHealthcare professionals and students
The Resus RoomUnited Kingdom2015Emergency medicine and resuscitationHealthcare professionals