Cross-Disciplinary Pathway
Hospital Medicine
Leadership and Business Training
Trainee Pathway
Christopher Russo, MD MBA
Director of Pediatrics
Pediatrics
WellSpan Health
York, Pennsylvania, United States
Laura Nell Hodo, MD (she/her/hers)
Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Family Medicine
Pediatrics
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Hastings on Hudson, New York, United States
Most clinicians consider themselves good communicators; when it comes to bedside rounds, or speaking to small groups, this is expected, as this type of communication is core to medical training. Few clinicians, however, have received coaching or formal training in effective communications strategies despite being called upon to make presentations frequently, in a variety of settings, to a variety of audiences. The result is lost potential for the speaker and diminished audience impact. The good news is that communicating with clarity, power, and authenticity is an attainable, learnable skill.
In this highly interactive workshop, participants will learn keys to effective oral presentations, including using multimedia visual aids (e.g., Powerpoint).. Drawing from multiple professional spheres, including education, business, theatre, marketing, and law, core principles of effective communication will be presented, such as understanding the dynamics of audience demographics and matching delivery style to a setting. Particular emphasis will be placed on adult learning theories and strategies to engage millennial audiences. Challenges of presenting in virtual forums and engaging audiences will be discussed.
Participants will learn the basics of public speaking including vocal range, vocabulary, pitch, rhetorical awareness, and non-verbal communication. Next, participants will learn techniques to improve delivery through facilitator-led small group exercises on enunciation, projection, and body language. Following a short didactic on dramatic and persuasive speaking, participants will practice these newly learned skills. Finally, participants will be guided in developing a personalized action plan for addressing communication difficulties and practicing techniques for increasing persuasiveness and effectiveness.