What are some ways to use public speaking skills in a healthcare career?

The use of storytelling techniques in patient education can make complex medical information more relatable and understandable. Personal stories and patient experiences can be powerful tools in conveying important health messages as well as positively influencing patient behaviour. Facts tell, stories sell.

Town halls, Panels and Fora Expository and persuasive, public speaking skills are helpful in higher education during panel, town halls and executive leadership fora. During the pandemic, many colleges and universities utilized virtual conferencing tools to share important healthcare information, and protocols in order to answer community questions. Later, these events transferred to campus environments. Healthcare professionals benefit from developing presentation software skills to support their public messaging no matter the environment. When used well, multimedia, storytelling, and polling software tools can complement health care information and help change behaviors.

Actions are Loud! I worked in the healthcare sector for over a decade. Most times when dealing with people who are not really interested in your speaking, your actions goes a long way. The way you handle them, how you prepare, dish and serve their food. Picking their outfit, not rushing through things. Giving them a sense of comfort. Public speaking could also be Non- Verbal!

Getting across the right information with the right perspective to patients and their families is so critical. Your public speaking skills combined with empathy and a well researched material in terms of information related to patient's challenges makes you find a connect with the audience. And keeping the welfare of the patients as your primary goal make you a powerful speaker.

Every form of communication one to one or one to many involves 'public speaking'. In relation to patient education, clear and effective communication is crucial. This includes not only verbal explanations but also non-verbal cues like body language and tone, which can significantly impact how the information is received and understood.

Public speaking is a daughter of networking. You'll have to share your insights, experiences and findings with fellow professionals, to build credibility and a reputation in the healthcare industry.

Before public speaking and networking, focus on learning how to show up for yourself. If you show up from a place of high energy, people will want to speak to you. Simple. Energy is contagious. We can’t create from a place of low energy.

Embracing vulnerability in public speaking can enhance authenticity, fostering stronger connections with the audience. It allows for genuine, relatable storytelling, making your message more impactful and memorable. Additionally, vulnerability can inspire empathy, creating a supportive and understanding atmosphere, ultimately making your speech more compelling and relatable.

Whether you are sharing ideas in a planning meeting, updating stakeholders on the progress of a project, or articulating your expertise in a job interview, public speaking skills are vital to professional development in any industry. Know your worth and showcase your expertise with confidence and clarity.

I truly believe that showcasing your experience is more about just sharing what needs to be shared. It's like the adage that if you are being chased by a bear you don't need to be able to run "fast", you just need to be faster than the bear. Too often people try so hard to showcase who they are that they bowl people over. A lion doesn't have to tell you they're a lion, you just know. Bring your passion, have a conversation (not a diatribe) and SHOW who you are.

We sadly live in a world where the vast majority of population is not able to access healthcare and many professionals fight to provide quality services. Without the valuable skill of public speaking, it becomes impossible to sell your case and influence decision makers. It also becomes difficult to get patients to change their habits and lifestyle without the ability to convince and inspire. People commonly go against doctors' advices simply because the idea was not well communicated to them and they were not able to comprehend the reasons

So, important to speak up and discuss healthcare and healthy lifestyle options, especially so they aren’t an issue of affordability. A recent example is the clear wedge keeping people from new diabetic drives that reduce A1C and help people get our weight under control. Being overweight is an epidemic in America.

Developing your skills as a public speaker will certainly improve your confidence levels. Understanding what holds you back from speaking up, and being proactive about addressing those issues, will help you learn how to communicate more effectively and with confidence. Seek out mentors and coaches who can help you with any public speaking challenges. The benefits will overflow into your personal and professional life.

Public speaking is one of the most important skills for personal growth. So, if you are associated with a career in the healthcare segment, look for opportunities to develop real life stories of how people facing health challenges overcame them with a positive mental frame of mind which supports the medical aid one receives. These kind of success stories become a motivation for people at large to hear which you can share at public forums as a speaker. And since these are real life stories, they are relatable and easier to deliver naturally.

The most common mistakes I see healthcare leaders make when presenting: ? Overloaded slides: They are there to support your point, not to deliver your point for you. ? Audience analysis: Know your audience, and tailor the presentation for them — not you, not your peers (unless that's your audience) — you get the idea…. ? Lack of Storytelling: Healthcare slides are often scientific in nature. Data driven. Remember that the story in your head about the data won't be the same as everyone in the audience. You need to tell them the story you need them to hear.

Great public speaking requires 3 things: Research, Design and Practice. Research not just your topic, but also your audience. Don't assume you know what they want, actively ask around to find out. Then gather information that applies to that audience. The design is crucial. Design it in a way that's appealing, flows and encourages interactions. Hint: A Powerpoint deck is a support for your talk and is NOT the content. YOU are the content. Last, practice, practice and practice some more. If you need to even look at your slides once during our talk, you aren't prepared. If you have an "um" in your presentation, you aren't prepared. You may think the audience doesn't notice, but I promise you they do.

I've worked with quite a lot of medical researchers and doctors to see the same pattern: too complex information. One of the best ways to prepare your presentation is to simplify scientific information for ordinary people. Instead of overloading your presentation with scientific terms and Latin, try to find simple analogies in your everyday life as if you were explaining it to a child. This will help to establish a good connection with your audience. And you'll notice how your presentations are overall better received.

To enhance public speaking skills in a healthcare career, focus on clear communication. Practice articulating medical information in a simple, understandable manner. Utilize visual aids to support your points and engage the audience. Work on maintaining eye contact, using confident body language, and controlling nervousness. Join speaking clubs or workshops to gain constructive feedback. Stay updated on healthcare trends to convey information confidently. Lastly, tailor your message to the audience's level of understanding, fostering a connection between healthcare expertise and public comprehension.

I am an author of a textbook on improving healthcare processes. However, I am fully aware that relatively few doctors will have time to read the book, so speaking about this content in a way that they will enjoy and recall can have great value.

Education for other colleagues! Diversity and inclusion is so important in healthcare settings - is everyone comfortable accessing our facilities? Am I bringing my own biases into the room with certain patients? Is how this patient has been treated before impacting how they are showing up in this setting? Use your voice to educate other on this ongoing and important topic. Black women are 4x more likely to die in childbirth than white women in the UK - does everyone know why? Do we know how to prevent it? Do we realise how we can help solve this issue? Use your voice for good! ??

Every healthcare professional should be an educator for both the community and juniors. I met a myriad of professionals who were knowledgeable about their fields but they failed to empower their juniors and students to keep the torch up. It's necessary to invest in skills development during college and early career years because learning becomes harder as time goes and the responsibilities increase

Public speaking is one of the tools of leadership. Meaning, it makes it easy to influence people, thus making a public speaker a natural leader. Which will eventually make touching people's life's in matters of their health easy