Can we talk about it?
Learn the best public speaking tips and pitfalls for scientific presentations.
Popstar Taylor Swift might encourage you to “shake it off” when stage fright takes hold of your nerves. But experienced presenter and dermatologist Ilona J. Frieden, MD, FAAD, said the best public speaking advice is to prepare and rehearse.
Dr. Frieden, professor of dermatology and pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, and a panel of dermatologists provided their tips and actionable advice for delivering scientific presentations like a pro during March 9 session, F061 – Giving a Great Talk: On Zoom or in the Room.
“Creating and delivering an effective talk is a learnable skill,” Dr. Frieden said. “You’re not born knowing how to speak in front of an audience. For some, it comes naturally. For others, it’s their worst nightmare.”
The building blocks
During the session, Dr. Frieden and the panel helped attendees learn to conceptualize and develop a presentation using current and effective educational concepts and approaches, including creating slides that enhance your presentation and pulling it all together for a medical audience while presenting yourself and your content on the stage and in virtual presentations.
“Common pitfalls, such as cramming too much information into the presentation, too much content on the slides — and going off on too many tangents — can result in listeners getting lost in the content, or losing interest entirely,” she said. “Everyone has a computer in their hand — a mobile phone — so you have outside competition.”
While Dr. Frieden has become comfortable giving presentations, she said it took time and practice to reach that level of comfort.
“I learned a lot of myths along the way. For example, I always heard that nobody remembers what you say. They only remember how you presented your material or some little anecdote,” Dr. Frieden said. “But we believe a good presentation is about both the content and the process.”
Presenters emphasized three phases: conceptualization, slide preparation, and delivery.
First, conceptualize your content. Begin by identifying your audience. Is it medical students, the lay public, specialists? How much time do you have? Those steps will help you determine what you’re going to say. Then, tailor your content to your audience. Equally important is to decide how much time you’re going to devote to the various parts of your presentation. Dr. Frieden cautions against adding too much text to your slides, saying people can either read or listen to you, but not do both simultaneously, especially when there is a lot of text.
“That preparation is the deep thinking you do before you prepare your slides,” she said.
Reflecting on her own role as an audience member, Dr. Frieden said she doesn’t like it when speakers waste her time, so she thinks about that when presenting.
“When you think about it, if you waste 30 minutes of one person’s time and you have 100 people in attendance, consider how much time you’ve wasted for everyone. Do the math,” she said.
Delivery: Bring it home
Because delivery is as important as content, Dr. Frieden encourages novice speakers to practice, time their presentation, and ask a trusted colleague to listen and provide feedback.
Also consider your tone of voice, cadence, physical gestures, and not using a laser pointer too much, she said. Consider using animations in the slides to make them more dynamic. And if you’re speaking on Zoom, she said, remember that it’s tougher to read the room and respond to attendee reaction.
“Again, remember the built-in competition from cell phones. Everyone has one in their hand, whether you’re speaking on Zoom or in person,” Dr. Frieden said.
There are also a few basics, like remembering to smile and enjoy the subject you are presenting, she said. If you’re not excited by your content, no one else will be. Dr. Frieden encouraged speakers to refresh the content even if you have given a similar or nearly identical lecture before. She said she never presents the same presentation twice without refreshing it.
“I think the general level of skill in giving talks today has improved over the years. When I started, many decades ago, these skills were not taught. Senior physicians would speak, and we were expected to listen with rapt attention because of their seniority and expertise,” Dr. Frieden said. “We now have increased recognition that using skills such as effective visual images and storytelling play a large role in making a presentation both interesting and engaging. Our forum will emphasize the acquisition of these skills.”
Other panelists included Kelly M. Cordoro, MD, FAAD; Wilson Liao, MD, FAAD; and Kanade Shinkai, MD, PhD, FAAD.
