Free Open Access Medical Education (FOAM or FOAMed) 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 (OER) 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 (MOOCs), 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
Platform Country of origin Year founded Primary Focus Target Audience Academic Life in Emergency Medicine (ALiEM) United States 2009 Emergency medicine education and leadership Emergency medicine professionals CanadiEM Canada 2015 Emergency medicine and critical care Healthcare professionals and traineesCapsuleRADIndia2016Radiology and allied medicineRadiologists residents, medical students and healthcare professionals Don't Forget The Bubbles Australia 2013 Paediatric medicine Paediatricians, healthcare professionals, and parents EMCrit United States 2009 Critical care and emergency medicine Critical care specialists and emergency physicians Life in the Fast Lane Australia 2007 Emergency medicine and critical care Global healthcare professionals MedShr United Kingdom 2015 Case-based learning Medical students and healthcare professionals PaediatricFOAM Global 2017 Paediatrics and critical care Healthcare providers and students REBEL EM United States 2013 Emergency medicine and critical care Medical professionals St. Emlyn's United Kingdom 2012 Emergency medicine education Healthcare professionals and students The Resus Room United Kingdom 2015 Emergency medicine and resuscitation Healthcare professionals
See also Open Educational Resources Open Course Library Medical Education
References