Determining presentation skills gaps among healthcare professionals

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Communication Skills
• Professional Development

Background:

• Healthcare professionals regularly convey complex medical information to colleagues and students.
• Effective communication is vital for medical education and patient care.
• Gaps in presentation skills may hinder knowledge transfer and professional growth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify deficiencies in healthcare professionals' presentation skills.
• To determine barriers hindering the improvement of these skills.
• To explore motivations for enhancing presentation abilities.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to 88 individuals at a Midwest Academic Medical Center.
• The survey assessed current presentation slide deck usage, self-perceived presentation skills, and barriers/motivations for improvement.
• A mixed-methods approach was employed for data collection and analysis.

Main Results:

• Respondents predominantly used text and bullet points (74%), with minimal use of videos (51%).
• Self-assessments revealed lowest ratings in storytelling and overall presentation effectiveness (median = 6/10).
• The primary barrier identified was 'lack of training on best practices' (58%).

Conclusions:

• Effective presentation skills are crucial for healthcare professionals, particularly junior faculty.
• Integrating presentation skills training into faculty development curricula is recommended.
• Addressing the lack of training can enhance communication and professional success in healthcare.