medical school presentation topics

Overview and General Information about Oral Presentation

• Daily Presentations During Work Rounds
• The New Patient Presentation
• The Holdover Admission Presentation
• Outpatient Clinic Presentations
• The structure of presentations varies from service to service (e.g. medicine vs. surgery), amongst subspecialties, and between environments (inpatient vs. outpatient). Applying the correct style to the right setting requires that the presenter seek guidance from the listeners at the outset.
• Time available for presenting is rather short, which makes the experience more stressful.
• Individual supervisors (residents, faculty) often have their own (sometimes quirky) preferences regarding presentation styles, adding another layer of variability that the presenter has to manage.
• Students are evaluated/judged on the way in which they present, with faculty using this as one way of gauging a student’s clinical knowledge.
• Done well, presentations promote efficient, excellent care. Done poorly, they promote tedium, low morale, and inefficiency.

General Tips:

• Practice, Practice, Practice! Do this on your own, with colleagues, and/or with anyone who will listen (and offer helpful commentary) before you actually present in front of other clinicians. Speaking "on-the-fly" is difficult, as rapidly organizing and delivering information in a clear and concise fashion is not a naturally occurring skill.
• Immediately following your presentations, seek feedback from your listeners. Ask for specifics about what was done well and what could have been done better – always with an eye towards gaining information that you can apply to improve your performance the next time.
• Listen to presentations that are done well – ask yourself, “Why was it good?” Then try to incorporate those elements into your own presentations.
• Listen to presentations that go poorly – identify the specific things that made it ineffective and avoid those pitfalls when you present.
• Effective presentations require that you have thought through the case beforehand and understand the rationale for your conclusions and plan. This, in turn, requires that you have a good grasp of physiology, pathology, clinical reasoning and decision-making - pushing you to read, pay attention, and in general acquire more knowledge.
• Think about the clinical situation in which you are presenting so that you can provide a summary that is consistent with the expectations of your audience. Work rounds, for example, are clearly different from conferences and therefore mandate a different style of presentation.
• Presentations are the way in which we tell medical stories to one another. When you present, ask yourself if you’ve described the story in an accurate way. Will the listener be able to “see” the patient the same way that you do? Can they come to the correct conclusions? If not, re-calibrate.
• It's O.K. to use notes, though the oral presentation should not simply be reduced to reading the admission note – rather, it requires appropriate editing/shortening.
• In general, try to give your presentations on a particular service using the same order and style for each patient, every day. Following a specific format makes it easier for the listener to follow, as they know what’s coming and when they can expect to hear particular information. Additionally, following a standardized approach makes it easier for you to stay organized, develop a rhythm, and lessens the chance that you’ll omit elements.

Specific types of presentations

There are a number of common presentation-types, each with its own goals and formats. These include:

• Daily presentations during work rounds for patients known to a service.
• Newly admitted patients, where you were the clinician that performed the H&P.
• Newly admitted patients that were “handed off” to the team in the morning, such that the H&P was performed by others.
• Outpatient clinic presentations, covering several common situations.

Key elements of each presentation type are described below. Examples of how these would be applied to most situations are provided in italics. The formats are typical of presentations done for internal medicine services and clinics.

Note that there is an acceptable range of how oral presentations can be delivered. Ultimately, your goal is to tell the correct story, in a reasonable amount of time, so that the right care can be delivered. Nuances in the order of presentation, what to include, what to omit, etc. are relatively small points. Don’t let the pursuit of these elements distract you or create undue anxiety.

Daily presentations during work rounds of patients that you’re following:

• Organize the presenter (forces you to think things through)
• Inform the listener(s) of 24 hour events and plan moving forward
• Promote focused discussion amongst your listeners and supervisors
• Opportunity to reassess plan, adjust as indicated
• Demonstrate your knowledge and engagement in the care of the patient
• Rapid (5 min) presentation of the key facts

Key features of presentation:

• Opening one liner: Describe who the patient is, number of days in hospital, and their main clinical issue(s).
• 24-hour events: Highlighting changes in clinical status, procedures, consults, etc.
• Subjective sense from the patient about how they’re feeling, vital signs (ranges), and key physical exam findings (highlighting changes)
• Relevant labs (highlighting changes) and imaging
• Assessment and Plan : Presented by problem or organ systems(s), using as many or few as are relevant. Early on, it’s helpful to go through the main categories in your head as a way of making sure that you’re not missing any relevant areas. The broad organ system categories include (presented here head-to-toe): Neurological; Psychiatric; Cardiovascular; Pulmonary; Gastrointestinal; Renal/Genitourinary; Hematologic/Oncologic; Endocrine/Metabolic; Infectious; Tubes/lines/drains; Disposition.

Example of a daily presentation for a patient known to a team:

• Opening one liner: This is Mr. Smith, a 65 year old man, Hospital Day #3, being treated for right leg cellulitis
• MRI of the leg, negative for osteomyelitis
• Evaluation by Orthopedics, who I&D’d a superficial abscess in the calf, draining a moderate amount of pus
• Patient appears well, states leg is feeling better, less painful
• T Max 101 yesterday, T Current 98; Pulse range 60-80; BP 140s-160s/70-80s; O2 sat 98% Room Air
• Ins/Outs: 3L in (2 L NS, 1 L po)/Out 4L urine
• Right lower extremity redness now limited to calf, well within inked lines – improved compared with yesterday; bandage removed from the I&D site, and base had small amount of purulence; No evidence of fluctuance or undrained infection.
• Creatinine .8, down from 1.5 yesterday
• WBC 8.7, down from 14
• Blood cultures from admission still negative
• Gram stain of pus from yesterday’s I&D: + PMNS and GPCs; Culture pending
• MRI lower extremity as noted above – negative for osteomyelitis
• Continue Vancomycin for today
• Ortho to reassess I&D site, though looks good
• Follow-up on cultures: if MRSA, will transition to PO Doxycycline; if MSSA, will use PO Dicloxacillin
• Given AKI, will continue to hold ace-inhibitor; will likely wait until outpatient follow-up to restart
• Add back amlodipine 5mg/d today
• Hep lock IV as no need for more IVF
• Continue to hold ace-I as above
• Wound care teaching with RNs today – wife capable and willing to assist. She’ll be in this afternoon.
• Set up follow-up with PMD to reassess wound and cellulitis within 1 week

The Brand New Patient (admitted by you)

• Provide enough information so that the listeners can understand the presentation and generate an appropriate differential diagnosis.
• Present a thoughtful assessment
• Present diagnostic and therapeutic plans
• Provide opportunities for senior listeners to intervene and offer input
• Chief concern: Reason why patient presented to hospital (symptom/event and key past history in one sentence). It often includes a limited listing of their other medical conditions (e.g. diabetes, hypertension, etc.) if these elements might contribute to the reason for admission.
• The history is presented highlighting the relevant events in chronological order.
• 7 days ago, the patient began to notice vague shortness of breath.
• 5 days ago, the breathlessness worsened and they developed a cough productive of green sputum.
• 3 days ago his short of breath worsened to the point where he was winded after walking up a flight of stairs, accompanied by a vague right sided chest pain that was more pronounced with inspiration.
• Enough historical information has to be provided so that the listener can understand the reasons that lead to admission and be able to draw appropriate clinical conclusions.
• Past history that helps to shed light on the current presentation are included towards the end of the HPI and not presented later as “PMH.” This is because knowing this “past” history is actually critical to understanding the current complaint. For example, past cardiac catheterization findings and/or interventions should be presented during the HPI for a patient presenting with chest pain.
• Where relevant, the patient's baseline functional status is described, allowing the listener to understand the degree of impairment caused by the acute medical problem(s).
• It should be explicitly stated if a patient is a poor historian, confused or simply unaware of all the details related to their illness. Historical information obtained from family, friends, etc. should be described as such.
• Review of Systems (ROS): Pertinent positive and negative findings discovered during a review of systems are generally incorporated at the end of the HPI. The listener needs this information to help them put the story in appropriate perspective. Any positive responses to a more inclusive ROS that covers all of the other various organ systems are then noted. If the ROS is completely negative, it is generally acceptable to simply state, "ROS negative.”
• Other Past Medical and Surgical History (PMH/PSH): Past history that relates to the issues that lead to admission are typically mentioned in the HPI and do not have to be repeated here. That said, selective redundancy (i.e. if it’s really important) is OK. Other PMH/PSH are presented here if relevant to the current issues and/or likely to affect the patient’s hospitalization in some way. Unrelated PMH and PSH can be omitted (e.g. if the patient had their gall bladder removed 10y ago and this has no bearing on the admission, then it would be appropriate to leave it out). If the listener really wants to know peripheral details, they can read the admission note, ask the patient themselves, or inquire at the end of the presentation.
• Medications and Allergies: Typically all meds are described, as there’s high potential for adverse reactions or drug-drug interactions.
• Family History: Emphasis is placed on the identification of illnesses within the family (particularly among first degree relatives) that are known to be genetically based and therefore potentially heritable by the patient. This would include: coronary artery disease, diabetes, certain cancers and autoimmune disorders, etc. If the family history is non-contributory, it’s fine to say so.
• Social History, Habits, other → as relates to/informs the presentation or hospitalization. Includes education, work, exposures, hobbies, smoking, alcohol or other substance use/abuse.
• Sexual history if it relates to the active problems.
• Vital signs and relevant findings (or their absence) are provided. As your team develops trust in your ability to identify and report on key problems, it may become acceptable to say “Vital signs stable.”
• Note: Some listeners expect students (and other junior clinicians) to describe what they find in every organ system and will not allow the presenter to say “normal.” The only way to know what to include or omit is to ask beforehand.
• Key labs and imaging: Abnormal findings are highlighted as well as changes from baseline.
• Summary, assessment & plan(s) Presented by problem or organ systems(s), using as many or few as are relevant. Early on, it’s helpful to go through the main categories in your head as a way of making sure that you’re not missing any relevant areas. The broad organ system categories include (presented here head-to-toe): Neurological; Psychiatric; Cardiovascular; Pulmonary; Gastrointestinal; Renal/Genitourinary; Hematologic/Oncologic; Endocrine/Metabolic; Infectious; Tubes/lines/drains; Disposition.
• The assessment and plan typically concludes by mentioning appropriate prophylactic considerations (e.g. DVT prevention), code status and disposition.
• Chief Concern: Mr. H is a 50 year old male with AIDS, on HAART, with preserved CD4 count and undetectable viral load, who presents for the evaluation of fever, chills and a cough over the past 7 days.
• Until 1 week ago, he had been quite active, walking up to 2 miles a day without feeling short of breath.
• Approximately 1 week ago, he began to feel dyspneic with moderate activity.
• 3 days ago, he began to develop subjective fevers and chills along with a cough productive of red-green sputum.
• 1 day ago, he was breathless after walking up a single flight of stairs and spent most of the last 24 hours in bed.
• Diagnosed with HIV in 2000, done as a screening test when found to have gonococcal urethritis
• Was not treated with HAART at that time due to concomitant alcohol abuse and non-adherence.
• Diagnosed and treated for PJP pneumonia 2006
• Diagnosed and treated for CMV retinitis 2007
• Became sober in 2008, at which time interested in HAART. Started on Atripla, a combination pill containing: Efavirenz, Tonofovir, and Emtricitabine. He’s taken it ever since, with no adverse effects or issues with adherence. Receives care thru Dr. Smiley at the University HIV clinic.
• CD4 count 3 months ago was 400 and viral load was undetectable.
• He is homosexual though he is currently not sexually active. He has never used intravenous drugs.
• He has no history of asthma, COPD or chronic cardiac or pulmonary condition. No known liver disease. Hepatitis B and C negative. His current problem seems different to him then his past episode of PJP.
• Review of systems: negative for headache, photophobia, stiff neck, focal weakness, chest pain, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, urinary symptoms, leg swelling, or other complaints.
• Hypertension x 5 years, no other known vascular disease
• Gonorrhea as above
• Alcohol abuse above and now sober – no known liver disease
• No relevant surgeries
• Atripla, 1 po qd
• Omeprazole 20 mg, 1 PO, qd
• Lisinopril 20mg, qd
• Naprosyn 250 mg, 1-2, PO, BID PRN
• No allergies
• Both of the patient's parents are alive and well (his mother is 78 and father 80). He has 2 brothers, one 45 and the other 55, who are also healthy. There is no family history of heart disease or cancer.
• Patient works as an accountant for a large firm in San Diego. He lives alone in an apartment in the city.
• Smokes 1 pack of cigarettes per day and has done so for 20 years.
• No current alcohol use. Denies any drug use.
• Sexual History as noted above; has sex exclusively with men, last partner 6 months ago.
• Seated on a gurney in the ER, breathing through a face-mask oxygen delivery system. Breathing was labored and accessory muscles were in use. Able to speak in brief sentences, limited by shortness of breath
• Vital signs: Temp 102 F, Pulse 90, BP 150/90, Respiratory Rate 26, O2 Sat (on 40% Face Mask) 95%
• HEENT: No thrush, No adenopathy
• Lungs: Crackles and Bronchial breath sounds noted at right base. E to A changes present. No wheezing or other abnormal sounds noted over any other area of the lung. Dullness to percussion was also appreciated at the right base.
• Cardiac: JVP less than 5 cm; Rhythm was regular. Normal S1 and S2. No murmurs or extra heart sounds noted.
• Abdomen and Genital exams: normal
• Extremities: No clubbing, cyanosis or edema; distal pulses 2+ and equal bilaterally.
• Skin: no eruptions noted.
• Neurological exam: normal
• WBC 18 thousand with 10% bands;
• Normal Chem 7 and LFTs.
• Room air blood gas: pH of 7.47/ PO2 of 55/PCO2 of 30.
• Sputum gram stain remarkable for an abundance of polys along with gram positive diplococci.
• CXR remarkable for dense right lower lobe infiltrate without effusion.
• Monitored care unit, with vigilance for clinical deterioration.
• Hypertension: given significant pneumonia and unclear clinical direction, will hold lisinopril. If BP > 180 and or if clear not developing sepsis, will consider restarting.
• Low molecular weight heparin
• Code Status: Wishes to be full code full care, including intubation and ICU stay if necessary. Has good quality of life and hopes to return to that functional level. Wishes to reconsider if situation ever becomes hopeless. Older brother Tom is surrogate decision maker if the patient can’t speak for himself. Tom lives in San Diego and we have his contact info. He is aware that patient is in the hospital and plans on visiting later today or tomorrow.
• Expected duration of hospitalization unclear – will know more based on response to treatment over next 24 hours.

The holdover admission (presenting data that was generated by other physicians)

• Handoff admissions are very common and present unique challenges
• Understand the reasons why the patient was admitted
• Review key history, exam, imaging and labs to assure that they support the working diagnostic and therapeutic plans
• Does the data support the working diagnosis?
• Do the planned tests and consults make sense?
• What else should be considered (both diagnostically and therapeutically)?
• This process requires that the accepting team thoughtfully review their colleagues efforts with a critical eye – which is not disrespectful but rather constitutes one of the main jobs of the accepting team and is a cornerstone of good care *Note: At some point during the day (likely not during rounds), the team will need to verify all of the data directly with the patient.
• 8-10 minutes
• Chief concern: Reason for admission (symptom and/or event)
• Temporally presented bullets of events leading up to the admission
• Review of systems
• Relevant PMH/PSH – historical information that might affect the patient during their hospitalization.
• Meds and Allergies
• Family and Social History – focusing on information that helps to inform the current presentation.
• Habits and exposures
• Physical exam, imaging and labs that were obtained in the Emergency Department
• Assessment and plan that were generated in the Emergency Department.
• Overnight events (i.e. what happened in the Emergency Dept. and after the patient went to their hospital room)? Responses to treatments, changes in symptoms?
• How does the patient feel this morning? Key exam findings this morning (if seen)? Morning labs (if available)?
• Assessment and Plan , with attention as to whether there needs to be any changes in the working differential or treatment plan. The broad organ system categories include (presented here head-to-toe): Neurological; Psychiatric; Cardiovascular; Pulmonary; Gastrointestinal; Renal/Genitourinary; Hematologic/Oncologic; Endocrine/Metabolic; Infectious; Tubes/lines/drains; Disposition.
• Chief concern: 70 yo male who presented with 10 days of progressive shoulder pain, followed by confusion. He was brought in by his daughter, who felt that her father was no longer able to safely take care for himself.
• 10 days ago, Mr. X developed left shoulder pain, first noted a few days after lifting heavy boxes. He denies falls or direct injury to the shoulder.
• 1 week ago, presented to outside hospital ER for evaluation of left shoulder pain. Records from there were notable for his being afebrile with stable vitals. Exam notable for focal pain anteriorly on palpation, but no obvious deformity. Right shoulder had normal range of motion. Left shoulder reported as diminished range of motion but not otherwise quantified. X-ray negative. Labs remarkable for wbc 8, creat 2.2 (stable). Impression was that the pain was of musculoskeletal origin. Patient was provided with Percocet and told to see PMD in f/u
• Brought to our ER last night by his daughter. Pain in shoulder worse. Also noted to be confused and unable to care for self. Lives alone in the country, home in disarray, no food.
• ROS: negative for falls, prior joint or musculoskeletal problems, fevers, chills, cough, sob, chest pain, head ache, abdominal pain, urinary or bowel symptoms, substance abuse
• Hypertension
• Coronary artery disease, s/p LAD stent for angina 3 y ago, no symptoms since. Normal EF by echo 2 y ago
• Chronic kidney disease stage 3 with creatinine 1.8; felt to be secondary to atherosclerosis and hypertension
• aspirin 81mg qd, atorvastatin 80mg po qd, amlodipine 10 po qd, Prozac 20
• Allergies: none
• Family and Social: lives alone in a rural area of the county, in contact with children every month or so. Retired several years ago from work as truck driver. Otherwise non-contributory.
• Habits: denies alcohol or other drug use.
• Temp 98 Pulse 110 BP 100/70
• Drowsy though arousable; oriented to year but not day or date; knows he’s at a hospital for evaluation of shoulder pain, but doesn’t know the name of the hospital or city
• CV: regular rate and rhythm; normal s1 and s2; no murmurs or extra heart sounds.
• Left shoulder with generalized swelling, warmth and darker coloration compared with Right; generalized pain on palpation, very limited passive or active range of motion in all directions due to pain. Right shoulder appearance and exam normal.
• CXR: normal
• EKG: sr 100; nl intervals, no acute changes
• WBC 13; hemoglobin 14
• Na 134, k 4.6; creat 2.8 (1.8 baseline 4 m ago); bicarb 24
• LFTs and UA normal
• Vancomycin and Zosyn for now
• Orthopedics to see asap to aspirate shoulder for definitive diagnosis
• If aspiration is consistent with infection, will need to go to Operating Room for wash out.
• Urine electrolytes
• Follow-up on creatinine and obtain renal ultrasound if not improved
• Renal dosing of meds
• Strict Ins and Outs.
• follow exam
• obtain additional input from family to assure baseline is, in fact, normal
• Since admission (6 hours) no change in shoulder pain
• This morning, pleasant, easily distracted; knows he’s in the hospital, but not date or year
• T Current 101F Pulse 100 BP 140/80
• Ins and Outs: IVF Normal Saline 3L/Urine output 1.5 liters
• L shoulder with obvious swelling and warmth compared with right; no skin breaks; pain limits any active or passive range of motion to less than 10 degrees in all directions
• Labs this morning remarkable for WBC 10 (from 13), creatinine 2 (down from 2.8)
• Continue with Vancomycin and Zosyn for now
• I already paged Orthopedics this morning, who are en route for aspiration of shoulder, fluid for gram stain, cell count, culture
• If aspirate consistent with infection, then likely to the OR
• Continue IVF at 125/h, follow I/O
• Repeat creatinine later today
• Not on any nephrotoxins, meds renaly dosed
• Continue antibiotics, evaluation for primary source as above
• Discuss with family this morning to establish baseline; possible may have underlying dementia as well
• SC Heparin for DVT prophylaxis
• Code status: full code/full care.

Outpatient-based presentations

There are 4 main types of visits that commonly occur in an outpatient continuity clinic environment, each of which has its own presentation style and purpose. These include the following, each described in detail below.

• The patient who is presenting for their first visit to a primary care clinic and is entirely new to the physician.
• The patient who is returning to primary care for a scheduled follow-up visit.
• The patient who is presenting with an acute problem to a primary care clinic
• The specialty clinic evaluation (new or follow-up)

It’s worth noting that Primary care clinics (Internal Medicine, Family Medicine and Pediatrics) typically take responsibility for covering all of the patient’s issues, though the amount of energy focused on any one topic will depend on the time available, acuity, symptoms, and whether that issue is also followed by a specialty clinic.

The Brand New Primary Care Patient

Purpose of the presentation

• Accurately review all of the patient’s history as well as any new concerns that they might have.
• Identify health related problems that need additional evaluation and/or treatment
• Provide an opportunity for senior listeners to intervene and offer input

Key features of the presentation

• If this is truly their first visit, then one of the main reasons is typically to "establish care" with a new doctor.
• It might well include continuation of therapies and/or evaluations started elsewhere.
• If the patient has other specific goals (medications, referrals, etc.), then this should be stated as well. Note: There may well not be a "chief complaint."
• For a new patient, this is an opportunity to highlight the main issues that might be troubling/bothering them.
• This can include chronic disorders (e.g. diabetes, congestive heart failure, etc.) which cause ongoing symptoms (shortness of breath) and/or generate daily data (finger stick glucoses) that should be discussed.
• Sometimes, there are no specific areas that the patient wishes to discuss up-front.
• Review of systems (ROS): This is typically comprehensive, covering all organ systems. If the patient is known to have certain illnesses (e.g. diabetes), then the ROS should include the search for disorders with high prevalence (e.g. vascular disease). There should also be some consideration for including questions that are epidemiologically appropriate (e.g. based on age and sex).
• Past Medical History (PMH): All known medical conditions (in particular those requiring ongoing treatment) are listed, noting their duration and time of onset. If a condition is followed by a specialist or co-managed with other clinicians, this should be noted as well. If a problem was described in detail during the “acute” history, it doesn’t have to be re-stated here.
• Past Surgical History (PSH): All surgeries, along with the year when they were performed
• Medications and allergies: All meds, including dosage, frequency and over-the-counter preparations. Allergies (and the type of reaction) should be described.
• Social: Work, hobbies, exposures.
• Sexual activity – may include type of activity, number and sex of partner(s), partner’s health.
• Smoking, Alcohol, other drug use: including quantification of consumption, duration of use.
• Family history: Focus on heritable illness amongst first degree relatives. May also include whether patient married, in a relationship, children (and their ages).
• Physical Exam: Vital signs and relevant findings (or their absence).
• Key labs and imaging if they’re available. Also when and where they were obtained.
• Summary, assessment & plan(s) presented by organ system and/or problems. As many systems/problems as is necessary to cover all of the active issues that are relevant to that clinic. This typically concludes with a “health care maintenance” section, which covers age, sex and risk factor appropriate vaccinations and screening tests.

The Follow-up Visit to a Primary Care Clinic

• Organize the presenter (forces you to think things through).
• Accurately review any relevant interval health care events that might have occurred since the last visit.
• Identification of new symptoms or health related issues that might need additional evaluation and/or treatment
• If the patient has no concerns, then verification that health status is stable
• Review of medications
• Provide an opportunity for listeners to intervene and offer input
• Reason for the visit: Follow-up for whatever the patient’s main issues are, as well as stating when the last visit occurred *Note: There may well not be a “chief complaint,” as patients followed in continuity at any clinic may simply be returning for a visit as directed by their doctor.
• Events since the last visit: This might include emergency room visits, input from other clinicians/specialists, changes in medications, new symptoms, etc.
• Review of Systems (ROS): Depth depends on patient’s risk factors and known illnesses. If the patient has diabetes, then a vascular ROS would be done. On the other hand, if the patient is young and healthy, the ROS could be rather cursory.
• PMH, PSH, Social, Family, Habits are all OMITTED. This is because these facts are already known to the listener and actionable aspects have presumably been added to the problem list (presented at the end). That said, these elements can be restated if the patient has a new symptom or issue related to a historical problem has emerged.
• MEDS : A good idea to review these at every visit.
• Physical exam: Vital signs and pertinent findings (or absence there of) are mentioned.
• Lab and Imaging: The reason why these were done should be mentioned and any key findings mentioned, highlighting changes from baseline.
• Assessment and Plan: This is most clearly done by individually stating all of the conditions/problems that are being addressed (e.g. hypertension, hypothyroidism, depression, etc.) followed by their specific plan(s). If a new or acute issue was identified during the visit, the diagnostic and therapeutic plan for that concern should be described.

The Focused Visit to a Primary Care Clinic

• Accurately review the historical events that lead the patient to make the appointment.
• Identification of risk factors and/or other underlying medical conditions that might affect the diagnostic or therapeutic approach to the new symptom or concern.
• Generate an appropriate assessment and plan
• Allow the listener to comment

Key features of the presentation:

• Reason for the visit
• History of Present illness: Description of the sequence of symptoms and/or events that lead to the patient’s current condition.
• Review of Systems: To an appropriate depth that will allow the listener to grasp the full range of diagnostic possibilities that relate to the presenting problem.
• PMH and PSH: Stating only those elements that might relate to the presenting symptoms/issues.
• PE: Vital signs and key findings (or lack thereof)
• Labs and imaging (if done)
• Assessment and Plan: This is usually very focused and relates directly to the main presenting symptom(s) or issues.

The Specialty Clinic Visit

Specialty clinic visits focus on the health care domains covered by those physicians. For example, Cardiology clinics are interested in cardiovascular disease related symptoms, events, labs, imaging and procedures. Orthopedics clinics will focus on musculoskeletal symptoms, events, imaging and procedures. Information that is unrelated to these disciples will typically be omitted. It’s always a good idea to ask the supervising physician for guidance as to what’s expected to be covered in a particular clinic environment.

• Highlight the reason(s) for the visit
• Review key data
• Provide an opportunity for the listener(s) to comment
• 5-7 minutes
• If it’s a consult, state the main reason(s) that the patient was referred as well as who referred them.
• If it’s a return visit, state the reasons why the patient is being followed in the clinic and when the last visit took place
• If it’s for an acute issue, state up front what the issue is Note: There may well not be a “chief complaint,” as patients followed in continuity in any clinic may simply be returning for a return visit as directed
• For a new patient, this highlights the main things that might be troubling/bothering the patient.
• For a specialty clinic, the history presented typically relates to the symptoms and/or events that are pertinent to that area of care.
• Review of systems , focusing on those elements relevant to that clinic. For a cardiology patient, this will highlight a vascular ROS.
• PMH/PSH that helps to inform the current presentation (e.g. past cardiac catheterization findings/interventions for a patient with chest pain) and/or is otherwise felt to be relevant to that clinic environment.
• Meds and allergies: Typically all meds are described, as there is always the potential for adverse drug interactions.
• Social/Habits/other: as relates to/informs the presentation and/or is relevant to that clinic
• Family history: Focus is on heritable illness amongst first degree relatives
• Physical Exam: VS and relevant findings (or their absence)
• Key labs, imaging: For a cardiology clinic patient, this would include echos, catheterizations, coronary interventions, etc.
• Summary, assessment & plan(s) by organ system and/or problems. As many systems/problems as is necessary to cover all of the active issues that are relevant to that clinic.
• Reason for visit: Patient is a 67 year old male presenting for first office visit after admission for STEMI. He was referred by Dr. Goins, his PMD.
• The patient initially presented to the ER 4 weeks ago with acute CP that started 1 hour prior to his coming in. He was found to be in the midst of a STEMI with ST elevations across the precordial leads.
• Taken urgently to cath, where 95% proximal LAD lesion was stented
• EF preserved by Echo; Peak troponin 10
• In-hospital labs were remarkable for normal cbc, chem; LDL 170, hdl 42, nl lfts
• Uncomplicated hospital course, sent home after 3 days.
• Since home, he states that he feels great.
• Denies chest pain, sob, doe, pnd, edema, or other symptoms.
• No symptoms of stroke or TIA.
• No history of leg or calf pain with ambulation.
• Prior to this admission, he had a history of hypertension which was treated with lisinopril
• 40 pk yr smoking history, quit during hospitalization
• No known prior CAD or vascular disease elsewhere. No known diabetes, no family history of vascular disease; He thinks his cholesterol was always “a little high” but doesn’t know the numbers and was never treated with meds.
• History of depression, well treated with prozac
• Discharge meds included: aspirin, metoprolol 50 bid, lisinopril 10, atorvastatin 80, Plavix; in addition he takes Prozac for depression
• Taking all of them as directed.
• Patient lives with his wife; they have 2 grown children who are no longer at home
• Works as a computer programmer
• Smoking as above
• ETOH: 1 glass of wine w/dinner
• No drug use
• No known history of cardiovascular disease among 2 siblings or parents.
• Well appearing; BP 130/80, Pulse 80 regular, 97% sat on Room Air, weight 175lbs, BMI 32
• Lungs: clear to auscultation
• CV: s1 s2 no s3 s4 murmur
• No carotid bruits
• ABD: no masses
• Ext; no edema; distal pulses 2+
• Cath from 4 weeks ago: R dominant; 95% proximal LAD; 40% Cx.
• EF by TTE 1 day post PCI with mild Anterior Hypokinesis, EF 55%, no valvular disease, moderate LVH
• Labs of note from the hospital following cath: hgb 14, plt 240; creat 1, k 4.2, lfts normal, glucose 100, LDL 170, HDL 42.
• EKG today: SR at 78; nl intervals; nl axis; normal r wave progression, no q waves
• Plan: aspirin 81 indefinitely, Plavix x 1y
• Given nitroglycerine sublingual to have at home.
• Reviewed symptoms that would indicate another MI and what to do if occurred
• Plan: continue with current dosages of meds
• Chem 7 today to check k, creatinine
• Plan: Continue atorvastatin 80mg for life
• Smoking cessation: Doing well since discharge without adjuvant treatments, aware of supports.
• Plan: AAA screening ultrasound

How to Skillfully Present Patients in Medical School

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How do you present patients in medical school? Presenting in front of attendings often makes medical students tense up. It’s very uncomfortable to attempt to sound competent, concise, and thoughtful to a likely evaluator.

But what if I told you that the whole process could be stress-free and easy?

In this post, I’ll break down, step-by-step, exactly how to present patients in medical school to your attendings/residents. This will include the dos and the do not’s of presenting!

If you prefer a video format, check out the following video and more on my YouTube channel!

Tell a Story When Presenting Your Patient:

This is how I learned to present, and I believe it’s the best way to present patients.

Tell a story.

You know how easily we mentally check out during a boring lecture. They often just read off their slides. It becomes a bullet point presentation – just fact after fact.

Medical students are often the boring lecturer when they present. We become so worried about telling all the facts. But we suck at tying it all together.

Think about it; we don’t talk about patient experiences with our peers the way we present. We’re much more casual and hit the high points, Now no I’m not arguing that you should be too casual but learn how to tell a story without hitting unnecessary info.

I’ll break down exactly how I tell my patient’s medical story. Just remember that you want to be interesting and concise.

What Would I Want To Hear?

Imagine yourself as the attending. What would you want to hear?

You certainly wouldn’t want to hear your medical students telling you about lung sounds in a patient with a broken finger.

Ask yourself if a piece of info is important for your patient. You get better over time on identifying what’s important. I discuss some things you should always mention later in the post.

Write Out Your Presentation in Bullet Format

Too often I see my peers reading their typed notes word for word. They rarely look up and don’t even pretend like they’re not just regurgitating their progress note.

I get that it’s hard to memorize a presentation. It’s as scary as actually having to do one.

So use a bullet point outline.

Here’s what I do.

On the first bullet, I’ll often write a shrunk version of my one-liner. I’ll talk about mastering this later in the post.

The next few bullets I’ll break down symptoms, timeline, important features, etc. that I want to discuss when I’m telling my patient’s story.

In the next bullet points, I’ll write the vital ranges and underline anything I want to mention. I’ll also include physical exam findings and labs which are pertinent.

Finally, I’ll include a list of problems with Ddx and suggestions for the plan.

Here’s an example of what this would look like.

Honestly, this is probably more than I’d write down. I have created my abbreviations which tends to cut my bullet point to half what’s shown above.

Unless I’m lost,I don’t have to look down. Thus I’m always making eye contact with my attending – demanding attention.. This makes the presentation seem much more natural. You’re having a discussion with your attending.

Don’t read your note that they can read on their own.

S tep-By-Step Approach To Presenting Patients in Medical School  Master the One-Liner.

Your one-liner will tell the resident if they should take your presentation seriously or not. The same way a great singer grabs your attention with their first note, you have to impress with a solid one-liner.

Here’s how to do it.

Table Of Contents

Who are they?

Include their name, age, and demographics.

Why predisposes them to these symptoms/disease?

What comorbidities do they have? Which are important for their current chief complaint?

Provide some insight into severity here. Do they have HF? If so what’s their ejection fraction?

Do they have diabetes? What’s their A1C?

I discuss other examples later in the post.

Why are they here?

Their chief complaint is the most important part of your one-liner. Here are things you must include.

What caused them to come into the hospital/clinic?

Patients usually come in with symptoms, not diagnoses . So your patient comes in with a chief complaint of chest pain, not a heart attack.

Sometimes a patient may come in for one thing but are getting worked up for a different symptom altogether. You can state, “patient is being evaluated for (insert symptom) that was identified in the emergency room/clinic”. You can include in your HPI what the patient originally came in for to paint the full picture.

Master Your PHI (Present History of Illness)

I remember presenting once in the pediatric emergency room to an attending. My patient was a 6-year old girl with a cat scratch to her eye. It was my first rotation, and I had no idea what I was doing (Maybe I should have looked for such a post back then).

I began with a killer one-liner. But then, instead of talking about her eye, I began to talk about her flu-like symptoms. The attending immediately stopped me and said, “I don’t care! Tell me about her eye!”.

So learn from my mistake. Don’t talk about the flu on a patient with a scratched eye.

Keep your story to the point.

After you understand this important lesson, the next step is to begin to form the order of your story. Often this begins with how the long the symptoms are going and how they first presented. Then provide a chronological order of how the symptoms worsened/improved over time.

Make sure to include why the patient finally came to see a doctor. Why now instead of two days ago when the symptoms first started?

This is also where you include the rest of your PHI. There are several acronyms people use that I haven’t cared to remember. But here are the important details to discuss (if applicable).

How long have the symptoms lasted? How does the patient describe their symptoms/pain? (sharp, dull, throbbing, etc.) Where is it? Does it radiate? How severe on a scale of 1-10 is it? Has this number gotten worse or better over time? What makes it better and what makes it worse? Do they have any other associated symptoms? (Fevers, weakness, headaches, chest pain, etc.)

Remember not everything is important:

Let’s go back to our bullet point outline of our presentation. When you practice it in your head, ask if that fact you plan on saying is important to the person’s story.

Ever watch a movie and wonder why a scene was even needed? Don’t include extra scenes.

The attending should understand who the patient is, why they’re here, and the important events that led them to this point.

What is considered abnormal?

If something is abnormal to a patient, explain how it differs from normal for them. If a patient can’t walk without being SOB, you must explain how far could they walk before.

If they have a headache but also have a history of migraines, then you must include how this headache is different or similar to their condition.

Indicate Pertinent Positive and Negatives on

If a patient comes in with concerns of a heart attack, including the symptoms that they have which make you worried.

It’s equally as important to include symptoms of an MI that they don’t have.

But don’t go through the whole list and indicate random symptoms that don’t matter.

Become Efficient in Telling The Past Medical

Students love to list everything the patient has. But let’s be real, I don’t care if a patient has GERD and they’re coming in for osteomyelitis.

In your PMH include big comorbidities such as diabetes, asthma/COPD, heart failure, liver disease, and kidney issues.

If they do have the above comorbidities here are some things you should include.

For diabetes always include their most recent A1C. State when this was done. Also include what form of treatment they’re on (insulin, metformin, etc.), their dose, and their compliance with their medications. Also ask about their typical blood sugars, how often the measure them, and what time of the day these readings are taken.

For heart failure include their last ejection fraction and date. Indicate what medications they’re currently taking and how compliant they are. Ask the patient how many pillows they sleep with under their head as paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea is a common symptom. Also, ask about their baseline weight (will go up in a heart failure exacerbation) and what their diet/fluid intake is like.

For asthma , you want to identify what severity they have. Are they severe persistent, moderate intermittent, or something else? How often do they use their rescue inhaler? How many times a week do they wake up at night. Also, ask if they’ve ever had to be intubated before.

Similar to asthma, for your COPD patient also include what GOLD stage they are. You’ll learn about this on your internal medicine rotation if you haven’t already.

These are some classic examples you want to hit every time.

Physical Exam

Start with their vitals.

Do you need to say everything? No.

Some attendings will want ranges for the heart rate and blood pressures. Others are fine if you say, “patient is afebrile, normotensive, and has a regular heart rate” or “vital signs are within normal limits”.

Regarding your physical – only say what you did. Again does everything matter? Nope.

Get away from sounding robotic. “Lungs clear to auscultation bilaterally” can just be “lungs clear bilaterally”.

If you don’t read your notes, you’ll seem more natural when presenting the physical.

What about labs?  Don’t present all labs obviously. No one cares about the WBC for a patient with a broken arm.

State labs of importance such as “lytes were stable; hemoglobin was decreased to (insert value) from (insert value) yesterday. Remaining labs of patients were within normal limits”.

If, however, you did a specific lab/test to confirm/rule out a disease then make sure you state the results. A common example is a urinalysis. If a patient has suspected UTI, make sure you state their UA came back without indications for an infection.

Certains labs are important to trend. This includes Creatinine, BNP, hemoglobin/hematocrit, WBC, Platelets, Lactate, and important electrolytes.

Assessment and

So you finished with the easy part. You knew the story and told it. Now you get to show you know how to doctor and not just interview.

Here’s my format to present my assessment and plan.

“This is Ms. who has (insert pertinent conditions and PMH) who came in for (symptoms). Given her symptoms and (physical exam/lab evidence A, B, C) I think she could have (differential A) given that she has (x,y, and z), she could also have (differential B) because of (x,y,z) and differential C (x,y,z).

To work her up I would do test/treatment (a,b,c) and reevaluate her (insert time frame).

I expect discharge for her pending treatment/workup and hopeful discharge (give a guess if possible).”

Boom! You just rocked that patient presentation!

If your patient has multiple problems, you can break your A/P by problem. For example, you can state, “For her back pain I think she could have (X,Y, or Z). I think we should give her treatment (A or B).” Keep going down her problem list. Some attendings like a system based but the method is the same.

So there you have it. Now you can present patients in medical school like a pro!

Here are other posts you may enjoy as well.

How to Build Strong Relationships with Your Patients Dealing With Death in Medical School Regaining Motivation in Medical School Top Resources to Honor Your Pediatrics Rotation

If there is something specific, you’d like me to address in a future blog post, comment below or email me at  [email protected] .

As always please like, share, and subscribe. Sign up for  my monthly newsletter  to receive updates on new blog posts. By signing up you also get access to my free eBook,  Top Ten Resources for Medical School . Sign up  here!

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A medical student’s first patient presentation

In medical school, you’re not taught how to give stellar patient presentations. Yes, you’re shown the traditional order of things: “Give an effective one-liner first, then tell the HPI [history of present illness] but only give pertinent info, etc.” Just exactly how to deliver the punch that impresses your attending is an art. And it’s an art that takes some time to perfect.

My very first time presenting a patient was terrifying, and it was during my neurology rotation. My attending was the head of the neurology and rehabilitation department, and I was the only first-year med student. On the team were two third-years, one fellow, and three residents.

David was a 21-year-old Asian male who came to the ER for upper extremity weakness. He and his mom spoke Cantonese to each other and me, so our interactions were assisted by one of the mobile translator stations. It had a tablet attached to a pole about 4 or so feet off the ground, and once you selected your language, an interpreter was online within a minute.

As is usual with new patients, students are the first to meet them and to gather the HPI. Then, the residents see the same patients, and with the students together formulate the differential diagnosis and management plan for each patient. The resident I worked with, Catherine, was wonderful, and an MD/PhD. Though, she notoriously had high expectations of students.

“Alright, tell me your presentation.”

“David is a 21-year-old Asian male who came to the ER this morning for a three-day history of upper extremity weakness in both arms.”

“Good. Keep going.”

“This is new to him, and he was not in an accident or any incidence of trauma recently or in the past.”

“No. What did you learn? OLDCARTS. Onset. Location. Duration. Character. Aggravating or Alleviating factors. Radiation. Timing. Severity. You already said onset, location, and duration. Did he feel any pain prior to or during his weakness? Does the weakness come and go? Anything he does make it better or worse? You have to go in order; if not I won’t follow you.”

“OK …”

I was ready to give it another go-around, but by that time the team phone rang and it was the attending on speakerphone.

“Good morning everyone. Ready for rounds?”

“Yes, Dr. Lezinsky,” said one of the residents.

“Great, meet me outside room 13-A.”

Wonderful. That’s the room my patient was in.

As I walked in the middle of the pack of alternating short and long white coats to my patient’s room, I felt my heart beat at an alarming rate. My watch even vibrated continuously, with the screen showing my heart rate above 100. I casually silenced my watch and also my head so that I could stop being so nervous.

At the door, we were greeted by my patient’s nurse and saw Dr. Lezinsky for the first time. He was a legend at the hospital and was also the neurology residency program director. I’ve heard stories of him being one of the best attendings you’ll ever have the pleasure of listening and learning from, but that he was also hard on students.

Without many words, he said, “Which medical student has the first patient?”

“That would be me.”

“What year?”

“First-year, sir.”

“Let’s hear the story.”

I have a bad habit of overly relying on handwritten or printed notes if I have them on hand. I remembered most of the beginning of the presentation, but slowly started to read off of my paper so that I wouldn’t say anything out of order or incorrectly.

About halfway through, I quickly glanced at my resident. Catherine gave me the look of, “What are you literally doing? Didn’t we rehearse?” In stark contrast, Dr. Lezinsky was devoid of emotion and instead nodded his head every so often. But was that an affirmative nod? Or a nod that meant, “Not right, but we’ll talk about it once you’re done presenting.”

In what seemed like an eternity with my palms now clammy, I concluded the presentation with the one-liner, my differential as to my thoughts on what could be causing David’s symptoms, and my proposed management plan.

“Is that all, T.J.?”

“I believe so, sir.”

“OK, Catherine, anything else to add?”

“Only that he is up to date with all of his vaccinations, and that he and his family only speak Cantonese.”

“T.J., can you get the … oh great! You have the tablet. I’ll let you introduce the team to the family, and we’ll have the interpreter join us to help.”

The team met David and his parents, and it was smooth sailing from there. Myasthenia gravis is what we thought he had because of his weakness worsening as the day progressed along with slurred speech in the evenings. Immunosuppressive treatment was soon started and David’s condition improved.

As we entered the elevator to the next patient floor, it was Dr. Lezinsky at the front and me right behind him. As the door closed, Dr. Lezinsky turned his body towards me.

“Was this your first time presenting?”

“Yes, it was.”

“That was really good. Over time, you’ll find yourself not referring to your notes, but relying more on your understanding of the patient’s history and possible disease etiology.”

“Thank you so much, Dr. Lezinsky. That really means a lot.”

Looking back to my first presentation, I’ve improved since then. After you do something so many times over, you start creating your own personal style. Yet, I know that there is always room to improve and the way you present a patient varies tremendously depending on the environment and the status of the patient. It all boils down to this: If you can give an effective and memorable presentation, you’re a better advocate for your patient.

Ton La, Jr. is a medical student and can be reached on  LinkedIn .

Image credit:  Shutterstock.com

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Presentations at Medical School: Top Tips

While most of medical school assessment consists of exam after exam, there are other ways to check what you know and encourage you to do research. One of these is doing presentations. This can be a pretty intimidating thought, especially if you aren’t used to presenting or don’t like speaking in front of groups of people. However, just because it might not be your thing doesn’t mean you can’t do a great job. I hope that some of the tips below will help you, so you can make the most of any presentations you deliver at medical school. 

1. Talk about something you’re interested in

Sometimes you are assigned a topic to present, but if you aren’t, choose something you will enjoy researching. If you care about your subject, your enthusiasm will look great and will be obvious to your tutor.  If you are assigned a topic and it’s something you really are not interested in, there’s no harm in asking your tutor if you can swap – the worst they can say is no.

2. Dress to impress

This doesn’t mean don a tuxedo or a sparkly cocktail dress, but wear something that you feel confident in and looks professional – this means a shirt/blouse and trousers/skirt, depending on what you feel most comfortable in.

3. Have water on standby

This is a must in my opinion. No matter how long the presentation is, it is so important to have access to some water to drink within reaching distance. You may never take a sip but it can be a useful way to gather your thoughts if you feel you’re struggling.

4. Present in front of your friends

Nerves are the worst part of public speaking or presenting – and what better way to get over them than to present in front of the people who will make fun of you? Joking aside, your friends can be a great stand-in audience. It gives you the opportunity to practice what you are going to say in front of people who aren’t marking you but will be able to give constructive feedback.

The key to getting over the nerves is being confident in what you have to say and practising in front of people really helps. Make sure you return the favour when it’s their turn to present too!

5. Plant your questions

This one isn’t always possible but when it is – do it! If you are presenting in front of other students you could get someone you know to ask you a question which you can give a great answer to, but don’t make it too obvious. If, for example, you run out of time and thereby don’t talk about a specific drug but someone asks you on it anyway it might arouse suspicion, so be clever about it!

Words: Ruari McGowan

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Effective Presentations: Optimize the Learning Experience With Evidence-Based Multimedia Principles [Incl. Seminar]

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What is an effective presentation.

Professional education requires presentations, from a small discussion or a short video to speaking to a lecture hall with an audience of hundreds.  In fact, presentations are at the core of the educational process. With the effort to view all our educational efforts through an evidence-based lens, the construction of an effective presentation needs to undergo the same scrutiny. Whether a presenter intends to share plans, teach educational information, give updates on project progress, or convey the results of research, the extent to which the audience understands and remembers the presentation relies not only on the quality of the content but also the manner in which that content is presented. While the medium of the presentation may range from written content to graphics, videos, live presentations, or any combination of these and more, each of these mediums can be enhanced and made more effective by the use of evidence-based practices for presenting. Regardless of the medium, effective presentations have the same key features: they are appealing, engaging, informative, and concise. Effective presentations gain attention and captivate the audience, but most importantly, they convey information and ideas memorably.

With the integration of technology and online learning, educators have more opportunities than ever to present rich content that enhances and supports student learning. However, these opportunities can be intimidating to educators striving to engage students, as it can be daunting to create visually appealing and informative materials. Additionally, many educators feel pressured by the continued myth of learning styles: the widespread misconception that learning materials should match students’ visual, auditory, or kinesthetic “styles” to optimize learning (1). Despite being featured in many articles and discussions, there is no compelling evidence that matching educational content to learner’s style preferences increases educational outcomes. However, using multiple modes of delivery such as visuals, audio, and active learning has been shown to benefit all learners. In other words, no matter their stated preference, all learners benefit from a variety of media. Using evidence-based principles for multimedia content such as the principles found in Richard Mayer’s multimedia learning as well as the principles of graphic design and universal design supports learning and increases educational outcomes.

Why effective presentations work

What makes a presentation effective? Is an appealing and engaging presentation also an effective one? Research from cognitive science provides a foundation for understanding how verbal and pictorial information are processed by the learner’s mind during a presentation.

Mayer’s cognitive theory of multimedia learning

Based in cognitive science research, Mayer’s evidence-based approach to multimedia and cognition has greatly influenced both instructional design and the learning sciences. Mayer’s cognitive theory of multimedia learning comprises three learning principles: the dual channel principle, the limited capacity principle, and the active processing principle. Mayer’s cognitive theory of multimedia learning lays the theoretical foundation that underlies the practical applications to boost cognitive processes (2).

The dual channel principle proposes that learners process verbal and pictorial information via two separate channels (see figure below). Within each channel, learners can process limited amounts of information simultaneously due to limits in working memory, a phenomenon known as the limited capacity principle . In addition to these principles describing learning via the verbal and pictorial channels, the active processing principle proposes deeper learning occurs when learners are actively engaged in cognitive processing, such as attending to relevant information, creating mental schema to organize the material cognitively, and then relating to prior knowledge (3). These three principles work in tandem to describe the learning process that occurs when an audience of learners experiences a multimedia presentation.

Cognitive Load Theory, Adapted from Mayer (3) . Depicting how verbal and visual information is processed in dual channels through sensory, working, and long-term memory to create meaningful learning.

As learners listen to a lecture or watch a video, words and images are detected in the sensory memory and held for a very brief period of time. As the learners attend to relevant information, they are selecting words and images , which allows the selected information to move into the working memory where it may be held for a short period of time. However, working memory is limited to about 30 seconds and can only hold a few bits of information at a time. Organizing the words and images creates a coherent cognitive representation (schema) of these bits of information in the working memory. After the words and images are selected and then organized into schema, integrating these bits of information with prior knowledge from long term memory creates meaningful learning.

Cognitive Capacity . Three types of processing combine to determine cognitive capacity. To improve essential processing and generative processing, extraneous processing should be limited as much as possible .

No matter how important the content may be, the capacity of learners to retain ideas from a single presentation is limited. The amount of information a learner can process as they select, organize, and integrate the ideas in a presentation relates to the cognitive load, which includes Essential, Extraneous, and Generative cognitive processing. Essential cognitive processing is required for the learner to create a cognitive representation of necessary and relevant information. This is the desired part of processing but should be managed to not overload the cognitive process. Extraneous processing refers to cognitive processing that does not contribute to learning and is often caused by poor design. Extraneous processing should be eliminated whenever possible to free up cognitive resources. Generative cognitive processing gives meaning to the material and creates deep learning. Learners must be motivated to engage and understand the information for this type of processing to occur.

Foundations in neuroscience

What we know about cognition and learning has been supported and informed by research in neuroscience (4). Neuroscience advances have also allowed us to gain deeper understanding into cognitive science principles, including those on multimedia learning. Researchers have been increasingly tracking learner eye movements to study learners’ attention and interest as a method of validating the impact of multimedia principles, and the results have supported the benefits of proper multimedia design on learner performance (5). Another avenue of research with great potential includes functional MRI (fMRI) readings or electroencephalography (EEG) (6). It has long been established that verbal and pictorial data is processed in different parts of the brain. More recently however, by examining changes in blood flow in different regions of the brain, researchers in Sweden were able to demonstrate that increased extraneous load could impact the effectiveness of learning, in line with the dual channel principle (7).

Evidence for effective presentations

Mayer’s multimedia principles.

Mayer’s Multimedia Principles.

Mayer’s multimedia principles are a set of evidence-based guidelines for producing multimedia based on facilitating essential processing, reducing extraneous processing, and promoting generative processing (8). Mayer’s list of principles often includes fifteen principles, some of which have changed over time, and in a study conducted with medical students, the following nine principles were found to be particularly effective (3). The first three of these principles are used to reduce extraneous processing.

Principles for reducing extraneous processing:

• Coherence principle: eliminate extraneous material 
• Signaling principle: highlight essential material 
• Spatial contiguity principle: place printed words near corresponding graphics

To illustrate these principles, we will use a lesson about the kidneys. The instructor wants to make diagrams of the anatomy to use during discussion. The coherence principle says to only include the information necessary to the lesson. Graphics such as clip art, information that does not relate to anatomy, or unnecessary music reduces cognitive capacity. The signaling principle says to highlight essential material; this might include putting important content in bold or larger font. Or, if the kidney is shown in situ , the rest of the anatomy may be shown in grayscale or a much lighter color to de-emphasize it. The spatial contiguity principle says to place printed words, such as the labels, near the graphics.

Reduce extraneous processing .  Do : keep labels next to diagrams, use only essential material, highlight essential material such as titles.  Don’t: separate labels from diagrams, include extra facts, or have excessive text on a slide, especially with no indication of what is most important.

Principles for managing essential processing:

• Pre-training principle: provide pre-training in names and characteristics of key concepts
• Segmenting principle: break lessons into learner-controlled segments 
• Modality principle: present words in spoken form

The next three principles are used to manage essential processing. If the kidney lesson moves into diseased states or diagnostics, the pre-training principle says that learners should be given information on any unfamiliar terminology before the lesson begins. To satisfy the segmenting principle , the learner should be able to control each piece of the lesson. For example, a “next” button may allow them to progress from pre-training to anatomy to diseased states and then diagnostics. The modality principle says that words should be spoken when possible. Voice-over can be used and text can be limited to essential material such as key definitions or lists.

Manage essential processing.   Do: Present terms and key concepts first, break lessons into user-controlled segments, and present words in spoken form.  Don’t: Give long blocks of text for students to read without priming students for key concepts.

Principles for fostering generative processing: 

• Multimedia principle: present words and pictures rather than words alone 
• Personalization principle: present words in conversational or polite style 
• Voice principle: use a human voice rather than a machine voice

Mayer’s work also includes principles to increase generative processing. The multimedia principle is a direct result of the dual channel principle and limited capacity principle. Words and pictures together stimulate both channels and allow the memory to process more information than words alone. To adhere to the personalization principle to promote deeper learning, a case study is better presented as a story than a page of diagnostics and patient demographics. Finally, the voice principle says that a human voice is more desirable, so it is better to use the instructor’s voice when doing voice-overs rather than auto-generated readers.

Foster generative processing. Do: Present words and pictures, present words in conversational style, and use a human voice.  Don’t: Present text only, present words as a list of facts or overly technical language, or use a computer-generated voice.

Additional multimedia principles: 

• Temporal contiguity principle: present words and pictures simultaneously rather than successively
• Redundancy principle: for a fast paced lesson, people learn better from graphics and narration rather than graphics, narration, and text 
• Image principle: people do not learn better if a static image of the instructor is added to the presentation

Additional principles include the temporal contiguity principle , which states that words and pictures should be shown simultaneously rather than successively. This also includes narration and images or animation. For example, if an animation demonstrates normal cell division, the narration should be given during the animation, not after. The redundancy principle states that people do not necessarily learn better if text is added to graphics and narration. The duplication of information creates extraneous processing as learners try to process print and spoken text. The image principle states that learners do not learn better if a static image of the instructor is added to a presentation. For example, if students are watching an animation with normal cell division, they do not learn better if an image of their instructor is placed next to the animation.

Additional principles for fostering generative processing: 

• Embodiment principle: onscreen instructors should display high embodiment not low
• Immersion principle: 3D virtual reality is not necessarily better than 2D presentations 
• Generative activity principle: use generative learning activities during learning

In the newest edition of Mayer’s Multimedia Learning (8), three additional principles have been added. The embodiment principle states that onscreen instructors should display high embodiment rather than low embodiment, meaning they should use natural gestures, look at the camera as if making eye contact, and if drawing, show the image being drawn. If demonstrating something like a surgical procedure, a first-person perspective should be used so the learner sees the perspective of the person performing. Low embodiment would include standing still, lack of eye contact, and using a third-person perspective. The immersion principle states that 3D immersive virtual reality is not necessarily more effective than 2D presentations, such as on a computer screen. This is thought to be caused by the cognitive load on the learning involved in using 3D immersive technology but more studies are needed. Lastly, the generative activity principle states that learners should use generative learning activities while learning such as summarizing, mapping, drawing, imagining, self-testing, self-explaining, teaching, and enacting. These activities help learners cognitively select and organize new material and then integrate with prior knowledge.

Other Design Principles

Mayer’s design principles are functional but do not address aesthetics per se . Anyone can master the basic graphic design principles as discussed by Reynolds (9) to captivate and engage an audience. 

• Create graphics that are designed for the back of the room. Whatever the venue, the person in the back needs to be able to see and gather information from the graphics. Ensure font size is appropriate, image size and clarity is sufficient, and that font type and spacing allow words to be seen clearly from a distance. For online materials, this principle may mean designing for the person who will be viewing on the smallest screen (such as a phone) rather than assuming viewers will use a large monitor (10).
• Limit the types of fonts. Too many fonts or fonts that don’t coordinate well can make graphics seem jarring and unpleasant. Some programs will suggest font families that are appealing, and a safe guideline is to limit to two or three fonts maximum per graphic. 
• Use contrasting colors. Colors that are too similar or using type on top of images that lack contrast can make type difficult to read. Color family suggestions can be found online or in software such as Powerpoint.

Graphic design principles.  Do: Use coordinating fonts and color schemes with contrasting colors.  Don’t: use multiple fonts, excessive colors, and/or non-contrasting colors that may be difficult to distinguish.

In addition to singular graphics or presentations, online course presentation makes a difference in how learners perceive and utilize a course. When designing online learning experiences, consider using guidelines such as Quality Matters to assess the functionality. Quality Matters rubrics look at key components that have been proven to facilitate learning by making navigation and presentation of course elements explicit. Key components include providing information on how to get started, including learning objectives, allowing learners to track their progress, and using learning activities and technology tools that support active learning. Navigation among course components should facilitate access to materials.

In addition to all of these principles, accessibility must be considered in all forms of presentation. In education, designing for accessibility can be guided by universal design principles . Some schools may even require all courses and materials to be fully accessible. Providing accessible options has been shown to benefit all learners, not just those with a documented need for accommodations (11). Some basic accommodations that should be offered in any class include offering media in multiple modes. For example, videos should have the option of captioning and/or access to a transcript, and photos and graphics should have captions that describe the image. Many learning management systems and software programs now have options to check for accessibility. Additionally, most schools can provide assistance in assessing and developing accessible materials.

Practical Applications for Presentations in Health Professions Education

Implementation in the classroom.

When planning how to present materials in the classroom, first consider the most effective form of presentation for the given information. It may be a Powerpoint, a video, a graphic, or a handout. Consider using a variety of media appropriate for the intended outcomes. Creating high quality materials may seem daunting, but quality content can be reused, shared, and has been shown to enhance student learning.

Powerpoint has been much maligned for overuse and abuse, but well-designed presentations can be remarkably effective (12). When designing in Powerpoint, limit the amount of text per slide. One rule to remember is the 5/5/5 rule: Use no more than 5 lines of text with 5 words each or 5 text-heavy slides in a row and try to avoid bullets (13). Graphics are preferable to text or tables when representing data, but graphs and labels should be kept as simple as possible using 2D graphics and simplified labels that are easy for viewers to see (14). When presenting, refrain from reading from the slides. Slides should highlight important concepts and provide visual aids, not present everything. In addition, keep Powerpoint and video presentations short; most listeners will lose attention in 6–10 minutes (15,16). Whenever possible, engage the audience by interspersing active learning elements. Between sections or topics, transition slides can be used to indicate pauses for activity or reflection or to cue students to changes in topic (14).

When planning a presentation, consider presenting some of the information online before class for students to review. This flipped classroom technique allows for more class to be spent using active learning and facilitates the presentation of multiple forms of media and accessible options. 

Implementation online

Videos often become an integral part of the online learning experience. To facilitate learning, consider the following tips for your own video production (17,18): 

• Align the video with learning objectives and course outcomes. Focus on pertinent instructional points to reduce extraneous processing and thereby reduce cognitive load. 
• Limit the length of videos and use interactive elements to promote active learning. To help maintain student engagement and deepen learning, include interactive elements such as discussions, quizzes or embedded questions to maintain student attention. 
• Limit extraneous information, graphics, and sounds that do not pertain to the learning goals (19). Busy backgrounds, music, or animations that don’t contribute to understanding concepts unnecessarily add to a learner’s cognitive load.
• When using existing videos, ensure the source is reliable and the video is high quality. Video production can take time, so using professional videos can be beneficial if they come from credible sources that target the learning objectives with up-to-date and accurate information.

Additionally, Schooley et al. (18) have proposed a 25-item quality checklist that can help educators create and curate high-quality videos. Many of the items in the checklist have been discussed here such as length, captioning, using relevant graphics, and self-assessment opportunities, but also included are other points an educator should consider, such as the offering learners the ability to download files and adjust playback speed as well as providing them with recommendations for further reading.

For a course in any modality, creating and curating content online can save time and facilitate student learning. As you consider what material to create and use for your courses, assess existing material using the guidelines above to determine if it could be made more beneficial to learners. Does it follow Mayer’s principles? Does it follow graphic design principles and universal design principles? Consider using a Quality Matters rubric to check the course design for best practices.

Recommendations

Educator’s perspective.

• Use Mayer’s multimedia design principles to revise existing presentations and review new creations for simple changes that can make a big difference (12).
• When delivering a presentation, start by discussing an unusual case, presenting an interesting story or an unexpected statistic, or explain how the topic impacts the listeners. This personalization will help gain their attention from the start (13).
• When designing your own materials and graphics, “less is more” is often a good guideline: limit the amount of information on slides, limit the types of fonts, and limit the excessive use of colors (9,12).
• Videos should be limited to 5–6 minutes when possible and avoid exceeding 10 minutes. Break up longer videos and intersperse interactive elements to keep students engaged (15–17).
• When using technology and online delivery, universal design and accessibility considerations can be complicated. See if your school has an expert that can review your materials to ensure all students will benefit.

Student perspective

• When creating presentations, reports, and charts, follow Mayer’s multimedia design principles to ensure your audience gets the most from your presentation.
• Avoid copy/pasting but rather try and present concepts in an original way in order to augment your understanding of the material.
• When looking at materials online, look for options such as captioning, transcripts, or audio buttons for accessing additional media output.
• If a presentation is lengthy, pause and insert your own activities to help yourself stay focused. Taking notes, pausing for reflection, and self-quizzing can help deepen your learning and keep your mind from wandering.
• If a variety of media aren’t offered, consider finding your own to supplement your learning. Credible sources with learning objectives that align with your course can augment your learning experience.

(Please select all that apply) 

1. When creating a graphic about the current status of heart disease in the US, which of the following would align with best practices?

a. Gaining the audience’s attention with a picture of your dog.

b. Using 3 colors that coordinate well on a contrasting background.

c. A 2D graph with simple labels rather than a table of data.

d. An image on the left with labels listed separately on the right.

e. An image next to a paragraph of text that you will read for the audience.

2. Which of the following are true about educational videos?

a. They need to be created by professionals to be high-quality.

b. They should be less than 10 minutes.

c. There should be an option for closed captioning or a written transcript.

d. Longer videos may be used but should be broken up with active learning elements.

e. Videos don’t need to align to objectives as long as they’re well-made.

3. Which of the following would be examples of Mayer’s multimedia principles?

a. Using a human voice rather than a machine voice.

b. Using formal language instead of conversational language.

c. Playing soothing music in the background of a video.

d. Providing new words and definitions before the presentation begins.

e. Putting important words in bold for emphasis.

4. Which of these would follow best practices for online content?

a. Creating a module where all the material is on one page for easy access.

b. Adding buttons for next, back, and table of contents options for students to navigate.

c. Breaking material into 7-minute videos with practice questions between them.

d. Adding fun clip art and cool images to the pages even if it doesn’t directly relate to the content.

e. Having text only because images are distracting.

Answers: (1) b,c. (2) b,c,d. (3) a,d,e. (4) b,c.

Online Seminar

This online seminar and its accompanying article will focus on the topic of Effective Presentations, which have a set of key qualities: they are appealing, engaging, informative, and concise. Effective presentations gain attention and captivate the audience, but most importantly, they convey information and ideas memorably and efficiently. Using evidence-based principles in educational multimedia can ensure the development of high-quality learning experiences. Our host, Dr. Peter Horneffer will be sharing with us some key multimedia concepts that can help facilitate the development and implementation of effective multimedia into the educational process.

Watch the seminar recording:

Would you like to learn more? Explore the Pulse Seminar Library.

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Meredith Ratliff is a doctoral student in Instructional Design and Technology at the University of Central Florida. Her research interests include evidence-based medical education, branching scenarios, and faculty development. She has received her B.S. and M.A.T. in Mathematics at the University of Florida and her MA in Instructional Design and Technology from UCF. She has been an Associate Faculty member in the mathematics department at Valencia College in Kissimmee, Florida for the past nine years. As part of the Learning Science team at Lecturio, she serves as an educational consultant helping to design and develop materials for medical educators.

Satria Nur Sya’ban is a doctor from Indonesia who graduated from Universitas Airlangga. While a student, he served as the president of CIMSA, a national medical student NGO, working on a diverse range of issues that included medical education and curriculum advocacy by medical students. Before graduating, he took two gap years to serve as a Regional Director, and subsequently as Vice-President, of the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA)*, working on and developing various initiatives to better empower medical student organizations to make a change at the national level. At Lecturio, he serves as a Medical Education Consultant, supporting Lecturio in developing and maintaining partnerships with student organizations and universities in Asia, as well as providing counsel on how Lecturio can fit in existing teaching models and benefit students’ learning experience.

*IFMSA has been one of the leading global health organizations worldwide since 1951, representing over 1.3 million medical students as members spanning over 123 countries.

Adonis is a doctor from Lebanon who graduated from the University of Balamand. He was a research fellow at the Department of Emergency Medicine at the American University of Beirut Medical Center and has worked with the World Health Organization Regional Office of the Eastern Mediterranean. During his studies, Adonis served as the president of the Lebanese Medical Students’ International Committee (LeMSIC), a national medical student organization in Lebanon, and moved on to serve as the Regional Director of the Eastern Mediterranean Region of the IFMSA*. Among his roles as Regional Director, he focused on medical education advocacy, oversaw collaborations with external partners, and undertook several medical education projects and initiatives around the region. As a Medical Education Consultant at Lecturio, he advises the Lecturio team on how the platform can fit in existing teaching models and benefit students’ learning experience, develops and maintains partnerships with student organizations and universities in the MENA region, and conducts research on learning science and evidence-based strategies.

Sarah Haidar is an educator and educational specialist from Lebanon who has graduated with a BA in English Linguistics and a Secondary Teaching Diploma (T.D.) from  Haigazian University in Beirut, Lebanon. She has received her M.Ed. in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL)  from the Lebanese International University. She has been teaching ESL classrooms at the Deutsche Internationale Schule for four years. As part of the administrative team at the All American Institute of Medical Sciences (AAIMS), she is working on the design and implementation of a set of academic and administrative reforms that can help both faculty and students in their professional and academic endeavors. She has joined Lecturio to support the Learning Science team in the writing and communication based tasks that might be needed to announce and market their services and events that are targeted at medical educators. She is also supporting the Learning Science team with her perspective on educational and pedagogical topics that will inform the general audience of educators.

Sara Keeth is a Ph.D. and certified PMP (Project Management Professional) who graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas. As an educator, she has worked as a Teaching Fellow at  the University of Texas at Dallas, as a full-time professor at Richland College (now Dallas College’s Richland Campus), and has also taught at Austin College. Dr. Keeth has also worked as a consultant for Parker University’s Research Center and has a decade of experience as an operations manager for an advertising agency. As Senior Learning Science and Research Project Manager at Lecturio, she manages the Learning Science department’s activities, shares her education expertise and best practices for medical educators, and develops evidence-based content for both students and faculty.

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Formal Lectures and Presentations Infographic Full Text

New section.

About This Graphic

This infographic shows the five strategies associated with the Formal Lectures and Presentations section of the Presentation Skills Toolkit for Medical Students. Each of the five sections includes a heading for the strategy followed by a brief description and an illustration.

Define the objectives of the presentation:

An illustration shows a target with an arrow in the middle and five boxes branching from it to resemble a chart. The text reads, "Describe what specific, measurable, or observable knowledge or skill the audience should acquire because of your presentation."

Design an effective slide set:

An illustration shows an icon of a hand pointing to the center of a gear. There are arrows pointing to the sides of the graphic, two on the left side of the gear and two on the right. The text reads, "Avoid lengthy text, decorative fonts, clip art, graphs, and pictures as these may be distracting."

Practice your performance:

An illustration shows a person wearing a suit holding laptop and gesturing while having a video chat. The text reads, "Know the lecture material but also the slides — without prompts!"

Create a positive learning environment:

An illustration shows a person sitting on a desk with their legs crossed while holding their arms up. There are a coffee cup and office chair next to them. The text reads, "Anticipate questions and allocate sufficient time at the end of the presentation to answer them. Always repeat the questions being asked for the audience's benefit and to ensure your understanding. Some questions may be challenging; be prepared and answer honestly. It is acceptable not to know an answer."

Demonstrate professionalism in presenting:

An illustration shows a person in a business suit holding a notebook and gesturing. The text reads, "Remain calm, collected, and open to feedback."

• Tips & Tricks
• PowerPoint Templates
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Ultimate Guide to Medical Presentations: Templates, Tutorials, Tips and Resources

About medical presentations.

Medical presentations are fundamentally different from other presentation types. In fact, they are one of the toughest type of presentations to design.

Medical slides have research facts, data charts, diagrams and illustrations that demand a totally different approach to design. You need a slide creation method that considers the unique problems you face as a medical presenter. In this guide, you will Tips, Tutorials and resources to get your started with making over your Medical slides.

We will start with some general tips and tricks on creating medical slides and then proceed to step by step tutorials. 

Quick Navigation

Tips to create Medical Presentations

PowerPoint Tutorials for Medical Slides

How to Present Lists & Text

How To Showcase Pictures Creatively

How to use animations effectively, creative morph transition ideas, making medical slides easy to understand, powerpoint delivery tips, powerpoint tips & tricks, issue with typical medical slides, medical slides makeover examples, medical powerpoint templates, free medical & healthcare icons, free medical presentation images, more resources for medical presentations, tips to create medical presentations, how to avoid overwhelming audience in technical presentations.

Do you want to improve how you explain concepts in a technical presentation? In this article, you will find a powerful technique called ‘Telescopic explanation’ to make your technical presentations much clearer and more memorable for your audience. To know more, read this post over on PrezoTraining.com

Tips to present Scientific Information

There are two major facets to a presentation: the content and how you present it. Let’s face it, no matter how great the content, no one will get it if they stop paying attention.

Here are some pointers on how to create clear, concise content for scientific presentations – and how to deliver your message in a dynamic way.   Find the tips over on Elsevier connect .

Preparing a Research Presentation

If you have never presented a paper at a scientific meeting,  or would like to polish your research presentations, this post contains information that will improve your presentation.

This article contains a set of guides and checklists to help you in the preparation of your presentation.   Read this post on ACP .

10 Tips for Medical Presentations

Whether you are presenting an audit or a case report at a local meeting, presenting a paper at a conference, presenting a business case to your Trust, or even presenting on a hot topic at your medical interview, you will need to know how to prepare medical slides which attract your audience rather than distract it. This post on ISC Medical provides 10 tips for Medical presentations.

For a 5-Part series on how to make your Medical Slides Clear and Visual , sign up for our Free E-course.

In the following sections, you'll find step by step PowerPoint tutorials & Makeover Ideas to help you makeover different parts of your presentation. 

How To Present Lists and Text

Information presentations use a lot of text and bullet list. In this section, you will find some creative ways to design these type of slides.

PowerPoint Tip: How to Present Long Lists on One Slide

If you have a Long Lists of items on One Slide here is a one-click trick on how to do this. Watch the video below to know more.

PowerPoint Trick to Convert Text to Graphics

Find a useful PowerPoint SmartArt Trick to convert Bullet Point Text to Graphics quickly and easily. Learn how to take the graphics to the next level with some creative ideas from Ramgopal.

For a 5-Part series on how to make your Medical Slides Clear and Visual , sign up for our Free e-course.

Get access to exclusive members-only e-courses & downloads.

Medical presentations usually have a lot of pictures. Especially the training and informational slides. Here are some ways in which you can present the pictures in your presentations in a creative way. 

Right Way to Showcase Pictures

Learn the benefit of showcasing pictures using SmartArt tool in PowerPoint. In the video below we start with a typical picture Showcase slide used by presenters. Though the slide looks quite attractive in the first glance, there are some issues that makes the slide ineffective. Watch the video below to know more:

Cropping Pictures in PowerPoint

Learn a super easy trick to crop a picture in PowerPoint in a step by step way. This trick will help you crop a picture in the shape you want, in a single click.

A PowerPoint slide with too much content can be overwhelming for the audience. If you learn to sequence the way you present your information, you make it easy for your audience to understand your presentation.

Here are different ways you can use Custom Animations and Morph Transition effects to sequence information.

Animation for Process with Pictures

In this tutorial, you will find how to create a useful and practical slide with pictures and text to show a process or a timeline diagram. Learn how to create and present it to make an impact.

Animation for Highlighting Pictures

Learn to create an Animated Picture Reveal Effect in PowerPoint. Present your important picture with this effect. Watch the video to preview the effect and learn how to create it:

Sequential Fading technique in PowerPoint

This trick is super useful for medical presentations where you need to present an image step by step. Since it is an image you cannot break it up and present it in parts. However with this useful technique you can highlight one part of an image at a time with animation. 

For a 5-Part series on how to make your Medical Slides Clear and Visual , sign up for our Free e-course. Get access to exclusive members-only e-courses & downloads.

In PowerPoint for Office 365, Microsoft introduced the Morph Transition. It is an effective way to create animations fast. Here are some ideas on how you can use this feature to create your slides.

Pros & Cons with Morph Transition

Learn how to create an easy animated scales diagram with Morph Transition Effect. This effect is available in PowerPoint for Office 365. You can also sign up & download the original PowerPoint file over at our website .

Morph Transition To Present Pictures

In this video you will find how to use PowerPoint Morph Transition to replace Custom Animations. See how this can be done with this example of a slide with multiple pictures with text.

Convert your boring text-based slides, blog articles or research papers into clear & beautiful visual slides - even if you have zero Design skills, zero PowerPoint skills & very little time - using our ‘4-step Neuro Slide Design System for Medical Presentations’

Watch the video below to learn more:

Ideas to Present Data

Medical presentations also usually contain a component of data. This could be related to statistics or research. In this section, you will find some easy ways to makeover your slides with numbers.

Creating Pie & Donut Charts 

Learn how to create a Pie chart in PowerPoint with this step by step tutorial. This video also covers how to adjust the Pie chart settings and also how to add Donut charts.

How to Animate a PowerPoint Table

Learn a trick to Animate a PowerPoint Table. PowerPoint does not have the feature of animating parts of a table.

[Advanced] Conditional Formatting for Charts

Learn to create a PowerPoint conditional formatting chart that changes color and direction of bar chart automatically for negative values. The positive values are displayed in green color and the negative values in red color. 

Here are some tips for when you are actually delivering your presentation. Present confidently with these ideas!

Use Presenter View in PowerPoint like a PRO

How to use Presenter View in PowerPoint to present your slides like a PRO (Presentation Delivery Tips). This view is for the presenter only - when the slideshow This requires 2 monitors (your laptop and the projector screen). Even if you want to use Presenter View in 1 monitor it is possible.  Learn how with this video.

Use Hidden Slides to Present Confidently

In this video, you will find a PowerPoint Tip on how to use Hidden slides to present confidently. This feature is especially useful when creating business presentations.

PowerPoint Slideshow Shortcuts

Here are some useful PowerPoint Slideshow Shortcuts you can use when delivering your next presentation. Hope you find these PowerPoint tips useful.

If you wish to improve the quality of your medical slides in a reliable way, take a look at the first  video over on this page .

Here are some tips and tricks to reduce time taken to create your slides. 

Setting Up Quick Access Toolbar

In this PowerPoint tips tutorial, you will find how to set up the Quick Access Toolbar. It is a great time-saving tool for any version of PowerPoint.

Autocorrect Trick to Save Time

Learn this trick to use PowerPoint Auto-correct option to save time and effort in creating your presentations. Write complex medical terminology accurately & easily in PowerPoint!

Get access to exclusive members-only e-courses & offers.

Many of the medical slides you may see may look like this:

These slides are taken from various sources online like Slideshare and YouTube and represent various types of presentations. The common issues with such slides include:

• Issue with readability - due to poor color choices and font sizes
• Unprofessional design - with overlapping content, hard to read diagrams etc.
• Too much content - that overwhelms  the audience

It is quite common to see well researched medical content being totally ignored by the audience - because the presentation slides look busy and boring. And… You can’t blame your audience for tuning out of your presentation. 

The quality of your slides makes or breaks your medical presentations.

In this section, we'll makeover usual text filled PowerPoint slides into a visual and interesting slides. 

The original slides are taken from various sources online like Slideshare and YouTube and represent various types of presentations. 

Medical Title Slide

Original title slide:

Title slide after makeover:

Medical Training Presentation Slide

Original training slide:

Training slide after makeover:

Medical Slide With Quote

Original slide with quote:

Quote slide after makeover:

Health and Safety Training Slide

Slide after makeover:

In the  Medical Presentations Bundle with Neuro Slide Design Training, you can watch me make over Text-based slides, a Blog article, a Wikipedia article and a 11-page Research paper. I go through each of the 4 steps to transform these text-based documents to clear and beautiful visual slides.

The Bundle includes 900 Fully Editable PowerPoint Templates. Go over and checkout the bundle .

One of the ways to quickly improve the quality of your slides is to use good quality templates create with the needs of medical presenters in mind. Here are some resources...

Free Medical Title Templates

Leawo website provides free medical title templates for download. These templates are suitable for different type of medical presentations. You can preview and download them here .

FPPT website provides similar free title templates for use as well. You can find title templates related to medical and health fields over here on FPPT .

Premium Medical PowerPoint Templates

While free medical PowerPoint Templates are good enough for student or non-critical presentations, if you are consultant or specialist, you may prefer to use high-quality PowerPoint Templates. 

Preview Medical PowerPoint Templates Bundle

Create Medical Slides You Feel Proud to Present Using the Breakthrough Slide Design System created using proven Brain research principles. You can preview templates from our Medical Templates Bundle below:

Browse more templates and know more about the Medical PowerPoint Templates Bundle here .

Icons are useful to represent ideas on slides. Here are some useful links for downloading Healthcare and Medical Icons online. 

ICONFINDER : This website has a good collection of vector icons without too many ads or links to other websites.. You can search iconfinder by keyword and specifically look for free to use icons. You can also search by types of icons like glyphs, outline, flat, filled outline, 3D and more.

VECTEEZY : This website provides both free and premium icons. The license may require you to provide attribution to the author.  There are lot of popups and ads, and the focus in on their premium icons.

POWERPOINT : If you are using Office 365, you can find a lot of free icons right in PowerPoint. There are icons for people, technology and electronics, communication, business, analytics, commerce, education, signs and symbols, arrows, medical and much more.  You can edit the fill colors of these icons to customize them. 

Make your own icons in PowerPoint

Make your slides look professional and visual with these icons. Icons make it easy for your audience to remember the information you are presenting. Learn the secret to finding icons for free right within PowerPoint.

300+ Editable Icons for PowerPoint

The   Medical Presentations Bundle includes 300+ Medical Icons for PowerPoint. You can break these icons into individual components, mix and match them to create custom icons that meet your specific needs. As one of the doctors using this Bundle said, it is a “ ONE STOP SHOP” for every busy medical practitioner.

Medical presentations can be made more interesting and engaging by the addition of relevant images. If you are looking for high-quality free images, here are some suggestions:

FREEIMAGES.COM :  Images on this website are free for use for personal and commercial purposes. You can find a range of generic medical and healthcare images here.

PICJUMBO.COM :  This site provides free and interesting images for backgrounds. 

WIKIPEDIA is a great source for free images and illustrations. However, there are a couple of things to keep in mind when you use images from Wikipedia.

1) Please check the copyright terms for each image. You may need to provide attribution as per their terms.

2) Images may be of different formats, sizes, color schemes and quality. 

Here is a collection of images from Wikipedia related to Brain:

150+ Medical Illustrations | 170+ Medical Photos | 150+ Silhouettes

In the   Medical Presentations Bundle     we have already done the hard work of putting together a large collection of high quality Medical, Pharma and Science photos & editable illustrations to use in your presentations. 

Remember, these are not the usual photos of smiling Doctors and pretty handshakes. These are practical medical photos you can use in your medical slides to illustrate your ideas.  As one of the doctors using this Bundle said, it is a “ONE STOP SHOP” for every busy medical practitioner.

For a  5-Part series on how to make your Medical Slides Clear and Visual , sign up for our Free e-course. Get access to exclusive members-only e-courses & downloads.

PowerPoint Skills for Medical Professionals Learn the 14 essential PowerPoint techniques that every medical professional needs to know to design clear medical slides. This training is part of Medical Presentations Bundle .

Advanced PowerPoint Video Tutorials Enhance your presentations with these ideas. In this section you will find extensive video tutorials for 2D and 3D Diagrams, Models, Picture Effects, Animations and More… Click here to browse

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PowerPoint presentation tips for medical students

Medical PowerPoint presentations are an essential component of medical education for students as they help to develop important skills that are necessary for success in the medical profession.

Key reasons why presentations are important for medical students

1. Developing communication skills: Presentations provide students with an opportunity to practice their communication skills, both verbal and non-verbal. This is essential for medical students, as effective communication is critical for building rapport with patients, colleagues, and other healthcare professionals. 2. Improving critical thinking skills: In order to create a successful presentation, medical students must conduct research, analyze data, and synthesize information from a variety of sources. This helps to develop critical thinking skills that are crucial for making informed decisions in clinical practice. 3. Enhancing professional development: Presentations provide medical students with the opportunity to showcase their knowledge and skills to peers and faculty members. This helps to build confidence and professionalism, both of which are critical for success in the medical field. 4. Learning from feedback: After a presentation, medical students can receive valuable feedback from peers and faculty members. This feedback can be used to identify areas for improvement and help students to refine their skills. 5. Exposing students to a variety of topics: Presentations allow medical students to learn about a wide range of topics related to medicine, including current research, clinical cases, and medical ethics. This exposure helps to broaden their knowledge and understanding of the field.

Overall, PowerPoint presentations play a critical role in the education of medical students, providing them with valuable opportunities to develop key skills and prepare for a successful career in medicine.

As a medical student, you will likely need to give PowerPoint presentations on various topics throughout your education.

Here are some tips to help you make your PowerPoint presentations effective and engaging:

1. Keep it simple: Use simple language and clear visuals to communicate your message. Avoid using complicated medical jargon that your audience may not understand. 2. Use high-quality visuals: Use clear, high-resolution images and graphs to illustrate your points. Avoid using clip art or low-quality images that can be distracting. 3. Stick to the essentials: Focus on the most important information and avoid overwhelming your audience with too much data. 4. Practice your presentation: Practice your presentation beforehand to make sure you're comfortable with the material and that your timing is appropriate. 5. Engage your audience: Ask questions and encourage participation from your audience to keep them engaged and interested in your presentation. 6. Use appropriate transitions: Use smooth transitions between slides to keep the flow of your presentation smooth and professional. 7. Keep it short: Aim to keep your presentation under 10-15 minutes to avoid losing your audience's attention. 8. Be mindful of your audience: Tailor your presentation to your audience's knowledge level and interests. 9. Use a clear structure: Use a clear structure, such as an introduction, main points, and conclusion, to help your audience follow along. 10. Use proper citation: Cite your sources and give credit where it is due. Avoid plagiarism and give credit to others whose work you reference in your presentation.

By following the above-given tips, medical students can create medical PowerPoint presentations that are effective and capable of communicating complex medical information to their audience.

About Author

Khushbu Srivastava Gupta is the Editor & Social Media Evangelist in MedicPresents.com . Follow her on social sites :

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• Jun 26, 2021
• 17 min read

How to Give a Medical Talk: 7 Key Principles for Medical Students, Residents, and Rotators

Updated: Sep 28, 2021

Here’s the typical (and average) medical student talk

This is a re-creation of a talk that one of our students presented to the team last year. It followed the script for the typical medical student talk (ie the type of talk which we’ve sat through many times):

Introduction: “The subject of my talk is pulmonary embolism.”

Content: unrealistically extensive overview of a massive topic based on major texts

Conclusion: “Well, I guess that’s all I have.”

It’s easy to make that talk significantly more impressive and memorable

Introduction: “Substantial and unacceptable.” Those were the words of Dr. Kenneth Moser, referring to the morbidity and mortality rate of venous thromboembolism ... A major issue in reducing these high rates is enhancing early diagnosis. In my talk today, I’ll review recent advances in diagnostic techniques of pulmonary embolism.”

Content: in-depth review of a focused topic including recent medical literature

Conclusion: “As the recent literature has shown, the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism may clearly be challenging. As in the case of our patient Mr. Smith, however, a combination of diagnostic methods leads to improved sensitivity."

Being asked to give a talk on a rotation, observership, externship, or clerkship

May be anxiety-provoking, but it’s still a, great opportunity.

If you're a medical student, resident, observer, or rotator, then at some point during that experience you may be asked to give a medical talk or presentation.

This is a common (yet anxiety-provoking) experience. Having acknowledged that, it’s important to realize that preparing and presenting a talk is a great opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge and grasp of clinical issues. While you can’t control what an attending might ask during rounds, you do have complete control over your talk. With preparation and practice, you’ll be able to deliver an outstanding talk.

In this post, you’ll learn specific recommendations to improve the quality and impact of your talks.

In fact, it’s pretty straightforward to incorporate the 7 key principles of giving a medical talk.

It’s easy to make your medical talk significantly more impressive and memorable. These 7 key principles will show you how

1. Do the important prep work: audience research and topic choice

2. Strong introductions are critical

3. Educate, not overload

4. A strong delivery is vital

5. Practice the right way

6. Strong conclusions are also critical

7. "After the talk" is just as important as "during the talk"

Principle #1 :

Do the important prep work:, audience research, time limits, and, choice of topic.

Before you sit down to draft your speech, make sure you do the important prep work.

Do an audience analysis

Know and adhere to all time limits

Choose the right topic: one that is focused, fits into time limits, and is of interest to you and your audience

You can’t give a talk unless you know your audience. Always take their knowledge level into account

If you’re assigned to speak before an unfamiliar audience, ask for this important information beforehand.

Your audience analysis should answer:

How many people will be in the audience?

How familiar is the audience with the subject?

What is the educational background of the audience?

How can I provide information relevant to their specialty?

What would I like the audience to do with the information I present?

If you consider the background of your audience, you’re more likely to deliver a talk that meets the needs of your listeners. In the article “Presenting with precision,” author Brenda Happell wrote that

“It is extremely frustrating to attend a presentation, confident that you are likely to learn something new, only to be exposed to basic information and knowledge that is readily available.”

Choose the correct topic

In some cases, you’ll be assigned a topic. If, however, you get to choose your own topic, we advise that you:

Choose a topic that you have background knowledge of. If you cared for a patient with asthma, address asthma.

Choose a topic that you’re interested in. Equally (perhaps more so), make sure it’s a topic that your audience is interested in.

Know your time limits

Once you know your time limits, make sure that you choose your topic accordingly. Time is a major concern, especially if you’ve been asked to speak about a broad topic such as “lung cancer”. To help you focus, either ask the attending for a specific aspect of that topic, or choose a relevant aspect, such as the therapy of metastatic lung cancer.

Many medical talks are too broadly focused

In a study of medical student talks, Yale students were asked to present a 30-minute talk on a topic of their choice during the Internal Medicine Clerkship. At the orientation, students were informed to avoid overviews or large topics. As an example, rather than talking about pneumonia, students were asked to focus on a particular aspect of pneumonia. Despite this recommendation, faculty evaluations noted that 35% of presentations were too broadly focused.

Clearly describe the objectives of your talk

You need to determine the specific purpose of your talk, also known as your lecture objectives.

What are the needs of your audience? Based on those needs, establish the objectives for your talk. When developing your objectives, be specific.

Consider these two possibilities:

"At the conclusion of this talk, my listeners will know how to manage an acute gout attack."

"At the conclusion of this talk, my listeners will be able to specify at least three types of medications that can be used to manage an acute gout attack."

The latter statement is clearly more specific and will help you develop a clear, focused, helpful talk.

Principle #2 :

Strong introductions are critical.

Start your talk with an introduction that leaves your audience eager to hear what else you have to say. You only have one chance to make a strong first impression. And if you fail to grab your audience’s attention, you’ll find it a challenge to capture it later.

For this reason, plan your introduction carefully. Too often, students begin their talk with one of these statements:

I’m talking today about …

The subject of my talk is …

Yes, it’s critical to include the topic and objective of your talk in the introduction. However, rather than using a bland statement, begin with an introduction that inspires interest.

Introduction Ideas: Ask a rhetorical question

We all realize that pulmonary embolism is a major cause of death. Did you know that the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism is missed in approximately 400,000 patients per year? And that's just in the United States ...

Introduction Ideas: Make a bold statement or share a startling statistic

In the United States, 650,000 people are diagnosed with pulmonary embolism every year, with over 200,000 deaths.

Introduction Ideas: Use a historical reference

160 years have passed since Virchow's classic paper on thrombosis and hemostasis was published and we, of course, continue to use the principles of Virchow's triad in the diagnosis and management of patients with pulmonary embolism. From historical reports, Virchow was small in stature but possessed a quick wit. He was known to be sarcastic, particularly when he dealt with incompetence or inattention. Yet he could also be generous and friendly, recognizing those who had made significant contributions. If he were alive today, he would perhaps be impressed with the progress that has been made in the diagnosis and management of pulmonary embolism, but he might also berate us for not making more progress. After all, pulmonary embolism remains a major cause of death in the United States ...

Introduction Ideas: Provide a thought-provoking quote

Substantial and unacceptable.” Those were the words of Dr. Kenneth Moser, referring to the morbidity and mortality rate of venous thromboembolism …

Introduction Ideas: Tell a brief story

If you've ever seen a patient die suddenly of a massive pulmonary embolism, it's not something that you will ever forget ...

Principle #3 :

Your goal is to educate, not overload.

Before you organize your talk, you have to first select material for your presentation. The real trick is determining what not to use.

Your research will yield more material than you could possibly use. This can actually be a problem: you need to avoid information overload, as there is a limit to what your audience can handle in a finite period of time.

In fact, one of the most common mistakes we see students make is presenting too much information. Remember: every point you make should support your talk's specific purpose. If it does not, cut it out.

Author Brenda Happell writes that “there is a tendency for inexperienced presenters to overdo the content in their presentation. It is easy to feel that every little piece of information is vital, but we know from experience that even the most interesting topic becomes hard to follow when we feel we are bombarded.”

How do you know what to include and what to discard? When you’re not sure, ask yourself if the information supports your specific lecture objectives. Discard any material that doesn’t support those objectives.

Make sure your data is accurate and that your resources reflect the most up-to-date science

During your talk, you’ll present data that supports your ideas. Your data must be accurate and relevant. Review all data several times, since even one inaccurate fact can call into question the accuracy of your entire talk. With statistics, make sure that your information is up-to-date. Presenting statistics that are years old when more recent information is available will damage your credibility. For resources, you should turn to authoritative texts as well as the recent medical literature.

Principle #4 :

Delivery is more than just content:, the importance of voice, body language, and note cards, do not, under any circumstances, read your talk word for word.

Some students write out their talk and then proceed to read it word for word. This is another very common error made by students. This almost always leads to a monotonous delivery. It’s also impossible to maintain eye contact with your audience, except for maybe an occasional upward glance, which diminishes credibility. Think about the best speakers at your medical school. How many of them read their talks word for word? Keep in mind the words of Dr. Michael Edwards who wrote that "... natural rhythm of telling a story with its pauses and eye-to-eye contact with the audience is lost when the talk is read."

Feel free to use note cards

Instead of reading your talk, we recommend the use of note cards, with no more than ten words (or so) on each card. These should be a reminder of the most important points. As you’re speaking, you then formulate sentences to express these points.

Practice with these note cards. As you practice, you’ll be able to start developing sentences using just these few words as cues.

As you grow less dependent on your cards, you can then memorize your introduction. Especially with a memorized introduction, you can convey the impression of confident and articulate student right from the start.

On the other hand, when quoting an article or conveying detailed statistics, it’s better to refer to your notes.

Avoid-the-monotone

Students sometimes present an entire talk in the same pitch and pace, leading to the dreaded monotone. This is boring, and it suggests a lack of interest in the topic. As you practice, work to incorporate a more natural pitch and pace throughout your speech.

Limit your use of fillers

Fillers are sounds like “um” and “er” that speakers often use when they’re thinking about what to say next. Most students don't even realize that they use fillers. Make sure you record yourself, and if you find that you’re relying on them too much, practice replacing them with short pauses.

Speak at the proper pace

You need to speak at a speed that allows your audience to follow.

In students who normally speak at a reasonable pace, anxiety can cause them to speed up. The effect is poor enunciation with mumbled words and sentences. "Too many ideas presented too quickly will not be understood, even to the most well-informed and intelligent audience."

You must make a conscious effort to slow down so that your listeners can follow you. Accomplished speakers will also pause periodically to allow their listeners to fully process.

In their article on lecturing, Brown and Manogue wrote that lecturers, to improve clarity, should "speak clearly, use pauses, and don't go too fast ... Whilst these suggestions may seem [to make] common sense, observation of lectures suggest that they are not common practice."

Utilize gestures appropriately and deliver the talk while standing, if at all possible

Only 7% of a speaker's message is felt to be obtained through actual spoken words. 55% is conveyed through nonverbal communication, while 38% is transmitted through vocal tone.

How does this come into play if you’re speaking in a small conference room? Students often remain seated during talks given to a small group, and we’ve found that they generally place their hands underneath the table. This robs them of the ability to gesture. Voice patterns often follow hand movements, which may affect the energy of your presentation.

If at all possible, give your talk while standing. Keep your hands in front of your body with your palms open, and feel free to gesture when appropriate. If you decide to give your talk while seated, lean forward in your chair, a gesture that conveys enthusiasm and confidence.

Avoid gestures that convey anxiety or a lack of confidence

These include:

Keeping your hands in your pockets

Gripping the lectern or audiovisual equipment

Playing with keys or coins in your pocket

Rocking back and forth or from side to side

Rubbing the back of your neck

Playing with your hair

Clenching your fists

Pacing back and forth

Fidgeting with clothes or jewelry

Do you make any of these gestures? Most students have no idea they’re doing any of these. That’s why we recommend that you record yourself.

Eye contact is a critical component of delivery

As you give your talk, make eye contact with your listeners. This keeps audience members interested, and helps you come across as more credible and confident.

One technique is to speak to one audience member, then direct your attention to another audience member. We recognize, however, that looking into people’s eyes while delivering a talk can be difficult for some students. If you find this unnerving, focus on another part of the face such as the forehead, nose, or mouth. Your listeners won’t know the difference.

As you make eye contact, don’t be surprised if someone in your audience isn’t paying attention. You may notice your audience nodding off, as your audience, sadly but expectedly in a medical setting, is often a very tired group. (As a speaker, I can tell you that chances are very high that somebody in your audience will start to nod off.)

Don't be thrown off track if a phone goes off or if audience members are engaging in conversation. (These are very common. Let me repeat that. VERY common.) As distracting as any of these may be, they shouldn’t be allowed to affect your presentation.

Pay attention to audience feedback during your talk

It’s very easy to be overwhelmed by the task of providing great content and ensuring an effective delivery. Most students are single-mindedly focused on giving a great presentation.

However, you need to be alert to audience feedback. During a presentation, this takes the form of nonverbal cues, such as body language cues that indicate total boredom.

While it’s easier to process such feedback when you’re an experienced speaker, such cues should be a warning sign. You may need to work on eye contact, or vary your volume, pitch, or pace of delivery.

Visual aids enhance presentations

Studies on learning styles have clearly identified distinct preferences. Some individuals are visual learners, while others describe themselves as aural learners.

Some learn better by seeing, others by hearing--but a talk that meets the needs of both learning styles will have the most impact. Whenever possible, try to incorporate visual aids.

Obviously, there are situations where this won’t be possible. If the attending has asked you to give a quick 2-minute "blurb" on a topic while standing in the hallway between patient rooms, the short duration and location of the talk clearly preclude the use of visual aids.

For longer talks that take place in an environment more conducive to the use of visual aids, there are compelling reasons to do so. Effective use of audiovisual aids can:

reinforce your statements

help you direct the audience’s attention

help your audience comprehend your ideas

make you appear more credible and professional

lead you to deliver a more memorable talk

Students today most often use PowerPoint or a similar tool. While these are useful, this only holds true when utilized well. Poor visual aids can actually downgrade the effectiveness of your talk.

PowerPoint Do’s and Don'ts

Don't read the text.

Do use a font color that contrasts with the background color.

Do use the same background color throughout the presentation (medium blue is popular).

Do maintain consistency by using the same symbols and typefaces.

Don't use full sentences. A good rule is to keep each line no more than 6-7 words.

Don't place too many points on each slide (less is more).

Do use at least 18-font size (be sure that people in the back row can read the information).

Make sure you avoid fancy fonts. Instead, choose a standard font like Arial or Times New Roman.

Don't capitalize entire words unless necessary.

Do proofread your text for spelling, repeated words, and grammatical errors.

Make sure you avoid overly complex tables, charts, graphs, or diagrams.

If possible and the topic lends itself to this, provide a short handout

Should you provide your audience with a handout? In many cases, yes. Handouts can help the audience follow your train of thought.

Most listeners appreciate written material that they can refer to later. The fact that you produced a handout will also give your audience some idea of the effort you put into the talk.

As you prepare the handout, pay careful attention to its presentation. Its appearance is a reflection of you. If it appears unprofessional, your listeners may form a negative impression, even before you’ve opened your mouth. As always, proofread your work to avoid misspelled words and grammatical errors.

You can provide the audience with the handout either before or after your talk. The disadvantage of handing it out at the start is that your listeners may pay more attention to the handout than to you. With complex subjects, however, you may find it preferable to have the audience follow your thought process.

Principle #5 :

There is actually a right and a wrong way to practice.

When practicing, strive to simulate the actual experience as closely as you can. Whenever possible, practice in the room in which you’ll actually be speaking.

If this isn’t possible, pick a room that closely resembles the real location of your talk. Doing so allows you the opportunity to become comfortable with the environment.

As you practice, don’t just go over your talk in your head. There is a difference between thinking and speaking.

Do this instead:

1. Stand in the proper spot of where you will be presenting

2. Imagine an audience in front of you

3. Rehearse your talk.

4. Use your notes exactly as you plan to during the actual talk. If you’ll be using audiovisual equipment, practice with the equipment.

5. As you rehearse your talk, time yourself to ensure that your presentation fits within the allotted time. If you run over, delete material instead of just speeding up.

You can learn a lot by videotaping yourself

This is a valuable yet underutilized way of improving performance. Play it back so that you can see and hear yourself the way that your audience will.

We’ve found that students are often surprised by what they learn from a videotape of their performance.

Utilize the techniques of professional speakers to handle anxiety

Some surveys have demonstrated that public speaking is the number one fear, ranked ahead of the fear of death. Anxiety affects everyone, but the best speakers are able to channel that nervous energy into a better performance.

If you do experience anxiety, you may find it reassuring that studies have shown that speakers generally report a higher level of anxiety than what an audience can perceive.13 In other words, audiences aren’t very accurate in detecting a speaker’s level of anxiety.

Before the presentation:

1. Take several deep breaths

2. Stand tall

3. Make eye contact with your audience

Ways to relieve anxiety before giving a talk

Adjust your attitude

Students who view their talk as a task to avoid may develop greater anxiety than those who see it as an opportunity to improve skills in communication.

Ensure adequate preparation and practice

The best way to lessen speech anxiety is to give yourself sufficient time to prepare and practice the talk.

Don’t overestimate the talk’s importance

A talk typically accounts for only a small percentage of the clerkship grade.

Use positive self-talk

“I know my topic, have prepared well for the presentation, and am confident that it will go well.”

Visualize success

Athletes and actors, as well as public speakers, use the techniques of visualization. Visualize yourself, with full detail, delivering a well-received presentation

Principle #6 :

Strong conclusions are also critical.

Some students conclude their talk with “I guess that’s about all I have,” or “I think I’ve gone over everything.” These statements completely lack impact.

Some of my students have even closed with an apology. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to find more,” “I’m sorry I couldn’t get the projector to work,” or “I’m sorry the talk went so long”.

In ending your talk, do not mumble and do not ever apologize. The conclusion is also no place for bringing up new points or rambling on and on. Students who don’t take the time to think about their conclusion end up closing with a whimper rather than a bang.

To conclude in a way that leaves the audience with a lasting, powerful impression, begin with a phrase that tells your audience that you are wrapping up your talk.

Examples include:

In concluding, I want to …

Let me leave you with …

As a final thought …

To wrap up my talk ...

Since most of your talks will be informative presentations, close by briefly summarizing your main points.

After doing so, end your speech with an interesting closer, perhaps a quote or rhetorical question.

Since a talk is often assigned when a team member raises an issue pertaining to a patient, one effective way to conclude is to apply your information to that specific issue.

“As the recent literature has shown, the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism may clearly be challenging. As in the case of Mr. Smith, however, a combination of diagnostic methods leads to improved sensitivity."

One final note: to leave your audience with a strong, final impression, avoid reading your conclusion. Instead, know it well enough that you can deliver the conclusion with few, if any, notes.

Principle #7 :

After the talk is just as important as during the talk:, prepare for audience questions and seek audience feedback, don’t be afraid to say “i don’t know.”.

At the conclusion of your talk, you should invite questions from your listeners. While few students end their talk with such a statement, it is important to do so. I’ve found that many students would rather avoid questions, because they fear they won't know the answer. This is natural, and is certainly a concern for experienced speakers as well.

However, experienced speakers will prepare for the question and answer period by anticipating questions. They then proceed to develop responses to these questions, providing for more polished replies. You can do the same.

You can begin the question and answer period of your talk by simply asking the audience, “Do you have any questions?” When asked a question in front of a large group, you should rephrase the question before answering it.

“Can you clarify the research methods used in the study on statins and inflammation?” “Certainly. The question refers to the research methods used in the study on statins and inflammation. In this particular study…”

This technique ensures that everyone has heard the question and also provides additional time to formulate an answer.

While you are expected to be well read about the subject of your talk, you are not expected to have all the answers. If you’re asked a question and you don’t have an answer, you can simply say “I don’t know, but I will find out.”

Another option is to defer the question to your attending. “Dr. Chen, in your experience with pulmonary embolism, how would you handle this situation?” Avoid at all costs an attempt to bluff or to provide inaccurate information.

Tips for answering questions at the end of a talk:

Let your listeners know early in the talk when you plan to answer questions

Encourage questions by asking "Do you have any questions?"

Listen carefully to the question to make sure you understand it

Make eye contact with the questioner while the question is being asked.

Repeat the question, especially in a large group, to make sure that it’s been heard.

Make eye contact with the audience as you answer

If you don't know the answer, don't bluff or lie. You also don’t need to apologize.

Consider deferring the question to an expert, if one is in the room

Feedback, feedback, feedback

Hopefully, team members will offer you specific feedback after your talk. However, most feedback tends to be vague and short on the specifics that you need to improve your performance during future talks. To make the most of this experience, you must solicit specific feedback.

Examples of questions you might ask (and only at the appropriate time and if it seems appropriate to ask that individual):

Was the introduction interesting?

Was the topic and purpose of my talk clear?

Did you feel that I made eye contact throughout the talk?

Was I able to maintain your interest?

Was the talk well-organized

Do you have any other suggestions for improvement?

Take team members’ suggestions seriously, and determine how you will use this information to improve future talks.

The corollary to these 7 key principles:

Be the first to volunteer to give the talk.

During attending rounds, sometimes an attending will turn to the team and ask “Who wants to give us a talk about this subject?”

If you’ve ever been in this situation, you know what usually happens next. Team members try to avoid the attending's gaze, and silence falls. Although this is a common reaction, it’s certainly not ideal.

Instead, if the attending asks, be the first person to volunteer. This is an opportunity to stand out and demonstrate your enthusiasm and initiative.

The bottom line: Yes, it can be nerve-wracking to just think about giving a medical talk. But with the right tactics and practice, you can absolutely excel.

Dr. Rajani Katta is the creator of Medical School Interviewing 101 , the course that teaches students how to ace their interviews. She is also the author of the best-selling books The Medical School Interview: Winning Strategies from Admissions Faculty and the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) . She served as Professor of Dermatology at the Baylor College of Medicine for over 17 years.

Dr. Samir Desai is the creator of The Residency Interview 101 and the author of 21 books, including The Successful Match: Rules to Succeed in the Residency Match . He has served on the medical school admissions and residency selection committees at the Baylor College of Medicine and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

For a free excerpt of The Successful Match, sign up here .

For a free excerpt of the medical school interview, and the mmi, sign up here ..

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PowerPoint Presentations

Engaging powerpoint presentations: creating powerpoint presentations and other visual displays of information that are well–designed and engaging….

When it comes to the design and presentation of information, there are well–researched standards and best practices like those below that can help you make your next presentation more engaging.

Design for your Audience

The first thing to keep in mind when designing a presentation is that you are communicating with an audience, and your presentation cannot be considered successful unless your audience learns something new, is inspired to action, or changes their perspective based on your communication.

PowerPoint has become one of the most disliked of productivity technologies, and for good reason. While a PowerPoint file is one of several good presentation tools, like handouts or whiteboards and markers, that can be leveraged to support audience understanding, unfortunately, it is often either created at the last minute and thus not given the attention it deserves considering its place at the front of the room, or, it is often used as something similar to a teleprompter, with the listener hearing exactly what they are reading on the slides.

As a presenter, you have a responsibility to your audience. You are responsible for considering your audience — their incoming level of knowledge, language and communication styles, and goals as participants — and crafting your message with that audience in mind. You should also design to engage your audience, respecting the normal human attention span of 7–10 minutes and planning for interaction. This doesn’t mean you need to "entertain" your audience. As long as you give a clear, organized presentation that follows best practices for good visual design, your audience has a responsibility to attend to the speaker.

Design for Understanding

• Get organized . Before you begin inserting content, make a high–level outline of your presentation. You can use the outline early in your PowerPoint, after the Learning Objectives, as a table of contents to let your audience know what to expect and guide them throughout the presentation. 
• Show them; don't tell them . Images tend to be "stickier" than words, especially if they’re vivid and distinct. Sticky messages are those that are easy to remember, and, just as mnemonic devices are used for memorization but are not the knowledge themselves, your visuals only need to reinforce a concept, not represent it exactly.
• Minimize distractions . A well–designed presentation has no need for the majority of sounds and animations possible in PowerPoint. The use of transitions to reveal one point at a time or simply placing one point per slide will keep your audience focused on the topic at hand.

Design for Readability

Many of your design choices will determine whether your audience will be able to easily read the text and see the images on your slides, and those in the back of the room should be able to see your content as clearly as those in the front. The factors impacting readability are below. 

• When it comes to text size, bigger is always better. Viewed on your monitor, it will probably appear too big to you, but that means it’s probably just the right size.
• Use the most contrast possible between text color and background color.
• Forget any guidelines you've heard about the "right" number of slides. A larger number of slides only leads to a longer presentation if there is a lot of content covered on each slide. Less content per slide means text and graphics can be larger, and you will move through slides more quickly
• Clean, simple fonts are easier to read than more artistic ones. Select a sans-serif font, like the "S" below, instead of a serif one, like the "G" below, and use it consistently. At most, select one additional font to differentiate headings and provide emphasis. Avoid italics and underlined text, and, instead, use bold for additional emphasis.

Design for Engagement

How else can you keep your audience engaged during a presentation?

Don't read from your slides.

A person viewing your PowerPoint file should not be able to understand the content of your presentation from the slides alone.

Not using a PowerPoint is better than using a bad PowerPoint.

When giving a presentation that is longer than 20 minutes, be sure to interact with your audience in some way. Shorter presentations may only need a poll of or question posed to your audience, which can easily be accomplished with questions that leverage Audience Response (ARS) technology inserted in your PowerPoint. Longer presentations should include opportunities to collaborate and share with a neighbor, practice the concepts, or discuss with the class

Use large, clear, high–quality images. You may be tempted to download images from websites, particularly by searching Google Images, to include in your presentation, but unless the images are described as "Fair Use," "Creative Commons," or unlicensed, it is not legal to use them. Good resources for free and free–to–use images include MorgueFile and Flickr , using an Advanced Search with Creative Commons content selected. 

Technology for Engaging Presentations

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PowerPoint to the People: The Four Secrets to Delivering a Great Medical Talk

• FELLOWS AND YOUNG GIS SECTION
• Published: 25 April 2020
• Volume 65 , pages 1892–1894, ( 2020 )

Cite this article

• Alex Zhornitskiy 1 ,
• Alexander Nguyen 2 &
• Jonathan D. Kaunitz 3  

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Medical talks are a staple of post-medical school education, but the effectiveness of these lectures can be quite variable. One significant reason for this is that while physicians and trainees are well trained at presenting information to one another, they have little to no formal training on giving hour-long medical didactics. Focusing on four specific categories including creating a strong first impression, effective use of PowerPoint, impactful delivery of information, and thorough preparation a physician at any stage in training can become a strong presenter.

Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.

Introduction

Since completing medical school, physicians have attended hundreds, some even thousands, of medical talks. These include journal clubs, noon conferences, morbidity and mortality discussions, morning reports, weekly fellow didactics, and national conference presentations. Think back to the last talk that you have been to whether today, this week, or almost assuredly in the past month. What did you learn? Try and recall three concepts from that talk. It is challenging, but not surprising that recall is often limited [ 1 ]. Though easy to blame faulty memory or passing distractions, a likely culprit may have been the presentation itself.

There is no question regarding the necessity for scheduling regular medical lectures in the hospital setting. This format allows for in-person teaching in a time-efficient manner on topics that simply cannot be delved into brief, curbside discussions in hospital hallways. Furthermore, for many this is one of the few consistent opportunities among the myriad of responsibilities available to strengthen and expand medical knowledge. Although physicians are well versed on presenting patient information to one another, few in medicine have actually received any type of training on giving an hour-long talk; the result is presentations that politely stated are of variable quality. While there are a multitude of factors that go into making a talk memorable, they can be narrowed down into four categories: making a good first impression, the effective use of PowerPoint, the successful delivery of information, and meticulous preparation.

First Impressions Are Key

First impressions matter. Not only can this be attested to anecdotally in personal interactions, but this has also been confirmed in studies [ 2 ]. Medical talks are no different. The first impression in this setting is essential to convincing a group of your peers to actively listen to your hour-long presentation among a cacophony of distractions. While it may seem obvious, being audible to the entire audience and confirming this at the start is crucial. Given that these talks occur amidst countless different sounds including buzzing pagers, chiming phones, the crunching of salads, and murmured comments, being heard can truly be a challenge and should be confirmed before proceeding further. Upon establishing that you are heard clearly, one should delineate a tangible reason for why this topic is important and needs to be discussed [ 3 ]. After all, if you do not seem interested in the topic, why should the audience be? Clarifying this early while identifying the topic at hand will provide a rationale for the audience as to why they should invest their time listening and enable them to “tune in” rather than simply perusing applications and games on their phone. Lastly, once it has been established what to expect from the lecture, take the time to present 3–5 pieces of information that you expect the audience to learn or better understand by the end. This can be presented as a slide entitled “Objectives” and should be revisited regularly in order to reinforce these learning points. With these in place, any presentation will be off to a great start with a strong first impression.

Effective Use of PowerPoint

The great orators in history are not often envisioned standing behind a lectern with the glow of PowerPoint slides behind them. Nevertheless, PowerPoint usage is virtually universal in modern-day presentations, with medical talks being no different. Using slides to your advantage, but also not allowing them to take the attention off you as the presenter, can be a fine line to walk. Slides should highlight only the most pertinent information and assist in visually depicting your presentation. That is it. Text should be limited to 4 to 6 lines per slide with under 10 words per line. Clashing, garish colors, large blocks of text, nonstandard fonts, small type size, and intricate diagrams should all be avoided, but are common errors that constitute the dreaded “busy slide.” These slides are not only confusing, but as the audience attempts to decipher them, their attention is shifted away from whom the attention should be rightly focused on: you, the presenter. One specific way of combating this is by having information appear point by point to accompany what you are discussing. An audience will naturally read what is presented on a screen. Limiting what is shown prevents the audience from reading ahead and limits confusion regarding statements visually presented that have not yet been discussed, thus retaining focus on what the presenter is saying in the moment.

Delivering Information

The success of a medical talk is highly dependent on the presenter, since one’s ability to convey information and retain interest will be a core determinant of the success of a presentation. While it is commonly noted that the mean attention span is limited to 15 min, it has been suggested that this is actually highly dependent on the presenter [ 4 ]. Ultimately, while one’s audience may learn differently, the uniting feature to retaining information is through encouraging active learning [ 5 ]. Creating opportunities for active learning through group problem solving, questions embedded in the presentation, or requiring audience interaction are key features missing from some medical talks, and not used enough in others. Within the discussion of delivering information, it is also important to delineate how much information a presenter is attempting to cover. While it is commendable when presenters endeavor to maximize the amount of knowledge that they attempt to teach others, it is also often wholly unrealistic to discuss a broad topic such as hepatology within the confines of an hour. It is incumbent on the presenter to deliver a digestible quantity of information that will facilitate maximal learning.

Preparation

Lastly, the final key to delivering information is through preparation. Since GI fellows are relatively inexperienced with public speaking, it is common to appear ill-prepared or nervous. There is nothing like halting speech patterns, a wavering voice, or anxious facial expressions and body language to communicate that you are not comfortable with your presentation, which in turn will decrease your effectiveness as a speaker. One of the best ways to overcome this angst, gain confidence, and master your material is to thoroughly rehearse your talk in full and out loud prior to the actual event. Consider even soliciting feedback from colleagues to ensure that the presentation is truly concise, at the appropriate level for the audience, and has a logical flow. Also, ensure that there are no surprises well beforehand: do not be late/show up early and check out the venue, check on the format (e.g., 4:3 vs. 16:9) of the projector/display, and load your presentation in advance on the presentation computer. Few are born great speakers, with the statement “practice makes perfect” being surprisingly accurate.

Although education consists of a multitude of pertinent topics related to discussing and presenting information, little or no training occurs on how to give a good medical talk, despite being regularly requested to do so. These “secrets” are by no means an exhaustive list, and presenting is an art with subtle adjustments at times needed to account for audience, topic, allotted time, and even location. Since the ultimate goal is to teach our colleagues, these suggestions will help one confidently, and effectively, present their next medical talk.

Giving medical talks is a part of routine medical training and practice, yet there is little no formal education on the topic.

Delivering a great medical talk stems from creating a good first impression, effective use of PowerPoint, impactful delivery of information, and preparation.

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Department of Internal Medicine, Hospitalist Services, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Alex Zhornitskiy

Gastroenterology Fellowship Program, Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Alexander Nguyen

Medical Service, West Los Angeles VAMC and Departments of Medicine and Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Jonathan D. Kaunitz

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Zhornitskiy, A., Nguyen, A. & Kaunitz, J.D. PowerPoint to the People: The Four Secrets to Delivering a Great Medical Talk. Dig Dis Sci 65 , 1892–1894 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-020-06273-8

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Medical Presentations: How to Present Effectively on Urgent Topics

In the face of the pandemic that consumed 2020, we saw an uptick in medical presentations. And rightfully so. The world was in a state of panic over the unknown of a new virus, people were craving information, and organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) were scrambling to provide data and resources to help address questions and concerns. Whether it was news stories, or medical research, the world needed to understand what we were up against with COVID-19. Naturally, presentations helped to deliver that information. But this isn’t the first time a virus or disease has rattled communities, and it’s certainly not the first time professionals have used medical presentations to educate the masses. Medical presentations are a helpful tool for medical professionals, research clinics, and organizations to help inform and educate their communities on a wide variety of urgent topics. This can include patient treatment, clinical trial research and results, training for medical staff, general education, medical research, or important data regarding diseases. 

While medical presentations tend to be fundamentally different from normal presentations in that they include critical and sensitive information, there are still design best practices just like any other deck. That said, what works for a sales pitch might not resonate well with a medical presentation.

Keep these five things in mind when you want to present effectively on urgent medical presentation topics. 

Consider your audience

You may be presenting to a group of doctors within your organization to get the team up to speed on new practices, sharing treatment plans with a patient, or educating the community on new health threats. How you structure your medical presentation is not a one-size-fits-all situation. How you talk to internal staff, versus how you would deliver information to a scared patient is not the same. When you’re crafting your message, consider your audience, and tailor the narrative to their overarching concerns and needs. 

Keep things straightforward

Unless you’re presenting to third year residents, your audience probably won’t be able to digest complicated medical terminology. It’s important to avoid medical jargon, complex definitions, or overcomplicated explanations that will confuse your audience. Instead, break things down in layman's terms and relate the information back to your audience and how it will affect them. Keeping things straightforward, and clear, will help your audience digest and process the information quicker. The end goal is that your audience leaves with clarity, feeling more educated on the topic and its urgency. 

Use icons to reflect the urgency of the situation

The use of visual aids, such as compelling images or meaningful icons, can help paint the picture of urgency in any presentation. Things like clocks, alarms, lightning bolts, or exclamation points can depict emergencies and symbolize something significant in your presentation. The use of impactful visuals will help engage your audience and let them know what they absolutely need to pay attention to. It helps you control the narrative, and highlight any pertinent information or key takeaways. 

Beautiful.ai’s free library of hundreds of thousands of images and icons can help take your presentation to the next level. Our custom icons were thoughtfully created by one of our in-house designers, and are a great way to compliment your data and add urgency to your slide . 

Hit them with the facts

In most medical presentations, factual data carries the slides. Whether it’s a survey, research results, or statistics about a particular disease, numerical data will help people understand the urgency or severity of the topic. For example, it was common for nearly every COVID-19 presentation or article to include statistics of the percentage of the population infected, which regions were seeing the greatest spikes in cases, death tolls by county, and data relevant to high-risk individuals. While the numbers may not always be fun— especially as they pertain to a pandemic— they paint a clear picture of what the audience needs to understand. Seeing scary statistics can put into perspective just how real the situation is. 

Using the proper charts, graphs , or infographics allows you to dictate exactly what information the audience is consuming. Data visualization with infographics can also help the audience understand and retain otherwise complicated data. However, even with the best charts, you can still overwhelm the audience with information. Opt to include only the most relevant info and useful data.

Allow time to process

Regardless of what you’re presenting— big or small— you should leave time at the end for questions. Medical presentations can be paralyzing, and your audience will likely be seeking more answers. Give your audience a minute or two following the presentation to process what they learned, and then give them a chance to ask questions. You may need to elaborate on specific slides, or revisit a piece of data, to help provide clarification. When it comes to urgent topics, you want your audience to leave feeling more knowledgeable and at ease than they were prior to tuning in. 

Jordan Turner

Jordan is a Bay Area writer, social media manager, and content strategist.

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Make an impact with an engaging medical presentation

If you want to explain medical concepts or demonstrate a new medical invention, you’d better use medical presentations in PowerPoint. It allows you to make your slides modern & visually appealing with a few creative design moves. Suppose you need to illustrate a healthcare document or make a presentation on a medical topic. In that case, PowerPoint is good for organizing all points to mention, supporting your speech with images, and attracting people with great animation.

You can find plenty of medical presentation examples on the web to inspire or borrow some elements, e.g., icons, colors, themes, etc. If you lack time and skills, you can always address professional services and order medical or business presentation slides . It helps to devote more time to speech and full sleep.

Today, let us help you find out when to use, how to start, and what to add to create modern-looking healthcare PowerPoint visuals.

When to Use Medical PPT Presentation?

Initially, presentations are used to inform, educate or persuade different external and internal audiences. Medicine includes hard and simple explanations, so you can create a healthcare presentation for both children and scientists.

Using the power of words and correct animation, you can deliver the most complex concepts and explain to pupils how blood cells move. So, medical slide presentations are used for:

• Medical conferences;
• Medical cases;
• Medical training;
• Medical networking;
• Medical investment pitch;
• Medical services presentation;
• Medical TED talk;
• Medical university/college/school lecture;
• Medical invention demonstration.

We bet you can make up more situations where medical presentations fit, and we’ve collected the most common causes. Anytime you talk about healthcare problems or news, you need a medical presentation.

How to Start a Presentation on Healthcare?

Medicine topics refer to the section of hard ones, so PowerPoint presentations must be used wisely and correctly to make speech easier to understand. If you have to explain complex concepts, the presentation can be your life-saver if you approach it in a meaningful way.

Step 1: Rely on visuals

The first step is to look for visuals that can accompany your text. PowerPoint was created for animation, but many people incorrectly use slides for paragraphs of scientific information. Meanwhile, we grasp visual information 60,000 times faster than written one.

So, whenever you present technical information, your audience would want relevant visuals to support their understanding. Do not name types of bone fractures or blood cells, show them!

Step 2: Crop and enlarge your images

The next step is the extension of the first one. We recommend using one picture per slide and enlarging it if it contains tiny elements. For example, you want to show a cataract, so increase the image in size for all people to see clearly. Do not be afraid to sacrifice text for the big high-quality picture.

Step 3: Use charts to visualize numbers

Please, forget about bullet points and endless lists on slides. Pity your audience.

• Decide how many numbers or statistics you have to add as separate slides.
• Do not mix pictures with charts or graphs.
• Make them simple but clear.
• Use contrasting backgrounds and comment on every figure.

See, bullet points are only good in articles to make some space and differentiation in a long text.

Step 4: Make your graphics look more professional

Google for medical presentation video tutorials or address custom presentation services to improve PowerPoint presentation . If you need to present in front of professionals, they will most likely have expectations. Thus, use high-resolution images, position every element accordingly, match sizes of arrows/lines within one slide, and just remove all alien elements that clog the animation.

8 Simple Tips to Improve Your Healthcare PowerPoint Presentation

Even though the following tips are simple and easy to implement, they will have a significant impact on your medical slides.

Think ‘Non-Linear’

If you have to explain some definitions, do not present them in a boring linear way. It can easily disengage the audience from the slide. Instead, create an animated explanation with arrows: make the main word big in the middle of the slide and ‘draw’ around it. Why use only words if you work with PowerPoint?

Use simple animated visuals to explain concepts

For example, you have to explain how molecules move in the electric field. A sheet of hard-to-understand text does not attract the audience at all. To engage people better, draw how charged molecules move forward and back. Besides, add an oral explanation for people to visualize better. Thus, the information sticks to the audience’s brains and keeps them involved till the presentation ends.

This slide does not just give a list of 3D printing examples but shows its real usage, which helps the audience visualize the information.

Label your images right

Images are an integral part of any medical presentation, but some presenters misuse them and create eye hops. It means the number of places the eyes have to land on a slide to gather information. When you create a presentation, THINK ABOUT THE AUDIENCE. Try to imagine how their eyes walk through the slide and make this path as convenient as possible.

For example, when you label throat parts, do not create a 1-5 list next to the picture. It may get people tired to walk from the list back to the image and again to the list. It is better to avoid numbers and label parts with names immediately.

Here is a great example of a visually attractive and informative slide. The author has exactly thought about the people because he helped them perceive the information step by step.

Use tables for comparison

Bullet points are good, but slide space is limited, so you’d better use it wisely. Even if you apply custom animation using bullet points, you still present in a linear way. Accordingly, we advise you to use the table to compare two items with a column that defines the characteristics you oppose. It helps the audience of different levels to follow your thoughts. If people do not understand, they distract faster. So, do not let them do it.

Pay attention to information clarity

Make sure the images you place on the slide match with headlines or other marks. Sometimes, people are afraid of many slides and try to put images and text into one. And they disregard the fact that the audience in the back seats sees nothing.

For example, this slide is good and informative, but the text might not be visible for the last lines.

Use charts to present numbers

For example, you want to list etiological factors for a specific disease. Instead of simply saying percentages, show them! People perceive and remember visual information better, so use charts to show the share of each factor. PowerPoint is created for animations, so always look for ways to avoid many words.

Lead with appropriate visuals

We highly do not recommend using photos of wounds, skin/organ diseases, or other body health problems. It may avert some people because these pictures aren’t indeed attractive. Instead, use drawn pictures, e.g., do not show SSI classification on real skin but use cross-section (like the one used in medicine books).

Avoid Using Photos as Slide Backgrounds

Strangely, many medical presenters still use photos for background for some unknown to us purposes. On the contrary, we suppose it is extremely hard for the audience to differentiate the main image or words from the background clog. Background photos do not bring you much value, but people perceive things better on a pure basis. So, please, stop using this habit. The simpler, the better!

Eye-catching animation has never spoiled anyone’s medical presentation. By adding suitable colors and pictures for a neat look, you demonstrate your expertise and support your speech. You will no more get lost if someone interrupts you. Complex topics are better explained with attractive visuals because all people perceive information better if accompanied by images. Therefore, you should use this preference to fit the audience of any size, age, and gender. Master medical presentations in PowerPoint and enjoy people’s attention!

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My Speech Class

Public Speaking Tips & Speech Topics

89 Medical Speech Topic Ideas [Persuasive, Informative, Nursing]

Jim Peterson has over 20 years experience on speech writing. He wrote over 300 free speech topic ideas and how-to guides for any kind of public speaking and speech writing assignments at My Speech Class.

Medical speech topic list with public speaking ideas for an informative or persuasive medical text such as speech recognition software, Staphylococcus aureus or self-esteem problems. I have these informative ideas for a public speaking speech in mind for you:

In this article:

Informative

• Safety and legal issues on acupuncture.
• Frustrations for color blind people.
• The benefits of ozone therapy.
• What is Reiki stress reduction and relaxation?
• Tip for making up a first aid kit for wilderness expeditions.
• What is autism?
• Epidemiological studies on the bird flu.
• Which home tests are safe and reliable?
• Facts and myths about Cellulitis.
• Short-sightedness and long-sightedness explained.
• Medical speech recognition software developments.
• Heart attack signs.
• What health problems with diabetes, how to deal with them?
• Diagnosing a food allergy, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.
• How to prevent Lyme disease, spread to humans by infected ticks.
• A day with the crew of an air ambulance helicopter.
• Arguments for embryonic stem cell research.
• How to patent medicine.
• Philosophies about genetic engineering.
• Stages of pregnancy month by month.
• The importance of organ donation.
• The principles of medical ethics.
• What do our kidneys do?

Here are some concrete persuasive medical speech topic samples. Keep going back and forth in your mind to sort out the way you like to talk about it.

• Isolation is the best way to prevent the spread of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus MRSA infections.
• Medical marijuana must be allowed for ill people – or not.
• Migraine often is misunderstood in the workplace.
• Most infertile couples use alternative medicine .
• Mental health issues affect us all in some way.
• Food allergy can manifest in behavior issues.
• Stuttering causes self-acceptance and self-esteem problems.
• The food industry should be blamed for obesity.
• Tourette’s syndrome patients can’t help it, let’s help them.
• Alzheimer’s disease should be involved in the care he or she will get.
• Atkins isn’t a quick fix for weight loss.
• Solve asthma by improving air quality.
• Effective medicines aren’t always expensive.
• Medical speech recognition and pathology experiences.
• Stopping smoking speeds recovery after operations.
• How a donation help your local Alzheimer’s charity.
• Everyone should donate blood.
• A woman can be too old to give birth.
• Air ambulance helicopters are the most efficient way to help victims of road accidents.
• Back pain is caused by a spinal disk problem.
• Beauty is not a valid reason to pursue cosmetic plastic surgery.
• Brushing your teeth twice a day will not keep the dentist away.
• Cell phones have a dangerous amount of radiation.
• Children should be first on organ transplant lists.
• Computer use is the reason for those repetitive strain injuries.
• Do not be afraid of biotechnology developments.
• Everyone needs dentistry insurance.
• Everybody should be an organ donor.
• Food allergy is a disease.
• Human fetal tissue research will help patients suffering from Alzheimer disease.
• Medication for general use should not be protected for 20 years.
• Needle exchange programs help to prevent the widespread of blood-borne viruses.
• Newborns without brains should not be used as organ donors.
• Nutrition patterns will change the human DNA genome structure.
• Patients should never accept money from the pharmaceutical industry.
• Pharmaceuticals are not transparent.
• Techniques and methods for transgenderation need to be assessed better.
• Terminally ill patients should freely rely on a hospital hospice program.
• The birth control pill is not safe.
• The E Coli bacteria is not explained properly enough.
• The morning-after pill must be freely prescribed in drugstores and pharmacies.
• The Morning-After Pill must be made available without a prescription.
• Using a known sperm donor is too risky.
• War veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress are not treated in time.

Of course these statements for a medical speech are not my opinion, but examples to trigger your mind for finding your own medical speech topic. Let these ideas form a rough outline in your head.

In other articles and entirely new threads I have written detailed tips to convert them into a real public speaking presentation.

Tip: A good topic title is short and sharp, conveys and channels a clear message, is easy to remember for the listeners, has no like or equal, is descriptive, and contains your own personal speaking signature.

Can We Write Your Speech?

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6 Additional Medical Persuasive Speech Topic Ideas

Medical persuasive speech topic ideas based on official position statements of organizations in the field, they are perfect for building speech topics in public speaking education. I scraped the net and found mission and vision claims that could be transformed into an issue for speechwriting purposes:

Sun Damage – ‘In most situations, sun protection to prevent skin cancer and sun damage to the skin is required during times when the ultraviolet index (UVI)A is raised’. According to the dermatology resource DermNet NZ. Offer pros and cons, and offer tips for listeners.

Dentistry – ‘The ADA Council on Scientific Affairs continues to believe that amalgam is a valuable, viable and safe choice for dental patients.’ Do you agree with the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs? Or not? Try to find persuasive arguments to adstruct the opposite, or weaken this firm medical persuasive speech topic ideas a little bit.

Nutrition – ‘In overweight and obese insulin-resistant individuals, modest weight loss has been shown to improve insulin resistance. Thus, weight loss is recommended for all such individuals who have or are at risk for diabetes.’ The American Diabetes Association writes on its site. Examine and prove direct relations between overweight and diabetes in a persuasion way of talking. Weight loss and diabetes in itself are great medical persuasive speech topic ideas.

Revalidation – ‘In the United Kingdom doctors will need to be revalidated every five years in order to retain their licence to practise.’ A citation of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. Good idea? Take a stand and convince your audience.

Equity – ‘A greater equity in health should be a progress indicator of populations within and between countries.’ That’s a formal statement of WHO World Health Organization. Do yo agree? Construct the arguments of this thesis.

Surgery – ‘Pregnant women should be given the right to choose major abdominal surgery (cesarean section) or a normal birth.’ That is the opinion of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Judge pros and cons, convince your public as speaker in all ways. Good idea for an essay too!

Speech topics related to nursing, mental and travel health careh, and dietary counseling on primary care fostering for high school.

Many, especially female students, like to choose to prepare informative public speaking on an assistant to doctors related issue.

Here are twenty sample speech ideas, divided in specific central ideas and more general writing topics.

• How to help patients with self-care products.
• Medical treatment is not available to most people in the world.
• Involve a nurse in developing mental health policies.
• What community nurses can do for the health of the neigbourhood.
• Nursing is also an important provider of mental treatment in complex situations.
• Care in humanitarian disaster areas.
• Alzheimers and family relations.
• Travel health care services.
• The rights of mentally ill persons.
• Adolescents with disorders of development.
• Disabled children and their special needs.
• Neonatal care for premature babies.
• Benefits of nursery to the health system.
• Pediatric oncology for children with cancer.
• Dietary counseling for babies and their mothers.
• The altering role of male nurses in the past decades.
• What does the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners do
• The romantic history of Florence Nightingale.
• What education is needed to work in the healthcare business
• Medical ethics explained.
• The road to becoming a nurse.
• Please move your patients the right way!

66 Military Speech Topics [Persuasive, Informative]

259 Interesting Speech Topics [Examples + Outlines]

1 thought on “89 Medical Speech Topic Ideas [Persuasive, Informative, Nursing]”

You could include a topic on Fibromyalgia chronic disease.

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