Public Speaking Advice..help!

[disfan07]

So, a few of my doctors are also professors at the medical school and they are also in charge of the interns adn residents on rotation in their departments at the hospital.

Last week, at one of my appointments, one of them asked me if I would be willing to speak at one of the lectures that they are doing.

Basically, one of my doctors is doing a lecture series that emphasizes the importance of listening to the patient, thinking outside of the ordinary and bedside manner. She wants someone who has extensive first hand experience on the patient side of this. I have had doctors that span the spectrum of bedside manner. As well as doctors who dont know what it means to listen to a patient and who clearly only go by the book for a diagnosis. Basically I would be talking about what I have seen IME:

Bedside manner: As a patient, what I see as good, bad and exceptional bedside manner

Listening to the patient: If we tell you something is wrong...listen! Dont ignore and make it seem like it is insignificant. And NEVER tell a patient that you think they are faking it unless you have CONCRETE evidence that it is true!

Out of the ordinary: Not everyone presents the same way. Not everyone presents with every symptom. Not every patient responds to the same treatment. Dont just blow off a patient becaus ethey are "too difficult".

Most important (At least to me)....Trust. A person has to be able to trust their doctor. They need to be able to believe that they can confide in their doctor about anything. Because of past experiences, I have significant trust issues with doctors and I believe that trust is one of the most important things about a patient/doctor relationship.

When she presented this opportunity to me I thought it would be great because I think these are very very important topics that all doctors need to listen to. But, what I didnt think of was the fact that this would mean that I have to speak in front of what could possibly be 200 people!!!!! Now, I dont do well speaking in front of a group. I am that person who everytime I had to do a presentation in high school, I would always get physically ill the night ebfore and day of teh presentation. I barely passed my public communications class in college 2 years ago because I get sooo nervous in fornt of people.

I will have a power point and lecture notes to help but still....

Does anyone hear have any ideas of how to overcome this whole fear of public speaking? Or at least deal with this fear? I am someone who is extremely shy and always fearful of criticsim so that has something to do with it. I really really want to do this...and do it well. I feel liek this is a once in a lifetime opportunity so I dont want to back out of it so I could use any advice you guys have about public speaking!

 

[DebfromSydney]

Dear Disfan07,

I am painfully shy. I came from a very large family where you were not allowed to open a christmas present unless you sang a christmas carol first - and I went without for many years.

Having to speak in public would make me cry in misery (at 27 years of age )

I went to university as a mature age student and one of my classes involved speaking in public. That is in a 1-year course you had to give 4 presentations to the entire class and each presentation was worth 25%. Missing this class meant I failed the entire year.

What I found was that knowing my topic (as you obviously do yours) and speaking to people that I imagined were friends (and honestly thinking back I know that there was no ill-will and the problem was a manifestation of my agoraphobia) I found that by concentrating on how exciting I found my topic, I was so passionate about what I had learned and wanted to share that it was more a problem of not over-talking than under-talking, and I did well because I was so passionate about what I was sharing (why humans really get car-sick (sub-vibrations) and why human babies will crawl across a see through space to get to their mothers and animals won't (It's a trust thing and I borrowed a friend's baby for that one )

I believe that you have important information to share and if you concentrate on getting the information out there and not the fact that you have listeners you will do really, really well

Trust in your experiences and imagine that if you can share what you know with 200 health practitioners and they each see 5 people and listen because of you that is 1000 people that you have helped How amazing is that?

I'll be your cheer squad if you like
Deb

 

[Disneylover79]

So, a few of my doctors are also professors at the medical school and they are also in charge of the interns adn residents on rotation in their departments at the hospital.

Last week, at one of my appointments, one of them asked me if I would be willing to speak at one of the lectures that they are doing.

Basically, one of my doctors is doing a lecture series that emphasizes the importance of listening to the patient, thinking outside of the ordinary and bedside manner. She wants someone who has extensive first hand experience on the patient side of this. I have had doctors that span the spectrum of bedside manner. As well as doctors who dont know what it means to listen to a patient and who clearly only go by the book for a diagnosis. Basically I would be talking about what I have seen IME:

Bedside manner: As a patient, what I see as good, bad and exceptional bedside manner

Listening to the patient: If we tell you something is wrong...listen! Dont ignore and make it seem like it is insignificant. And NEVER tell a patient that you think they are faking it unless you have CONCRETE evidence that it is true!

Out of the ordinary: Not everyone presents the same way. Not everyone presents with every symptom. Not every patient responds to the same treatment. Dont just blow off a patient becaus ethey are "too difficult".

Most important (At least to me)....Trust. A person has to be able to trust their doctor. They need to be able to believe that they can confide in their doctor about anything. Because of past experiences, I have significant trust issues with doctors and I believe that trust is one of the most important things about a patient/doctor relationship.

When she presented this opportunity to me I thought it would be great because I think these are very very important topics that all doctors need to listen to. But, what I didnt think of was the fact that this would mean that I have to speak in front of what could possibly be 200 people!!!!! Now, I dont do well speaking in front of a group. I am that person who everytime I had to do a presentation in high school, I would always get physically ill the night ebfore and day of teh presentation. I barely passed my public communications class in college 2 years ago because I get sooo nervous in fornt of people.

I will have a power point and lecture notes to help but still....

Does anyone hear have any ideas of how to overcome this whole fear of public speaking? Or at least deal with this fear? I am someone who is extremely shy and always fearful of criticsim so that has something to do with it. I really really want to do this...and do it well. I feel liek this is a once in a lifetime opportunity so I dont want to back out of it so I could use any advice you guys have about public speaking!

I have to say that this topic is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. I am an Cardiology ARNP and as a nurse I know how to treat patients. When I have to give them bad news I usually sit on the bed with them (that is if they aren't on isolation). I completely agree with you regarding TRUST is very important. They teach you in nursing school and I am sure in Medical school about earning the patients trust. If you have their trust then they will trust in you to do right by them.

I am sorry I am right there with you on the public speaking anxiety. I had to speak in front of I think it was 100 people and I got such a cotton mouth when I got up to the podium. So all I can say is maybe drink a glass of wine to calm your nerves. Good Luck

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Practice, practice, practice your speech. Know it cold for starters.

I don't know if you ever watched "Inside The Actors Studio" with James T. Lipton however it is about the actors and the craft of acting.

It was really eye opening to learn that almost all of the actors totally memorized every line they have in a movie before they even EVER got on a set. In fact they would memorize and then form a character from it and other details to transform themselves.

My point is that the memorization of your speech is key because what you are really doing is trying to evoke emotion to these doctors about patients. It is sort of like "acting" in a sense.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Possibly a re-orientation might help. Instead of thinking of the situation as yourself presenting to colleagues try to focus on the fact you are representing all the unheard patients as an advocate. Sometimes speaking up for others is easier than speaking up for ourselves. In one case it's just you voicing an opinion, in the other you are a superhero and if you can influence any of your peers positively for the patients you will have done a great thing Same situation, 2 very different mindsets. Good luck, there are some Dr's out there who are so clueless.... they need to hear you and you are in a unique position to be heard

 

[kaytieeldr]

Ask for the room to be darkened Seriously - speaking is less intimidating if you can't 'see' the audience.

Know where your doctor is sitting and look at her for reassurance periodically, but don't stare at her - look over the whole audience once in a while or you'll lose them (but don't focus on this; making your presentation is most important).

As others have said, know your material, which it seems you already do. Practice. Don't get flustered if you lose your place. People aren't expected a professional speaker. They'll be expecting to hear a patient's point of view. You've written it very clearly.

 

[ms.yt]

I'm a high school speech teacher, and my best advice is to practice, practice, practice. If you know your material, your nerves will be much less intense. Practice in front of people if you can and have them give you feedback on your performance. Good luck!

 

[need2cruise]

Do a search for toastmasters. It's a public speaking group but they have good information on their website you can use, including things to do if you're nervous, ice breakers, etc. It has helped me!

Good luck!!!

 

[WIDisneyFan]

Lots of good advice here and just one other point - be confident in yourself! You were asked to speak because you know the topic and people WANT to hear what you have to say. So be prepared and you will do great.

 

[Robinrs]

I have a degree in theatre and speech and every understood stage fright until my son.. who is PAINFULLY SHY.

I reassured him that MOST actors and performers are shy and the reason they can do what they do is to become a character, someone different from themselves, someone no one can hurt or reject. Become "the expert" on that stage, become the person YOU want to hear from, not you. Speak to the furthest point in the audience, and if you can, find one interested face and speak one on one with that person. Believe in what you're talking about and remove yourself from you.

Good luck.

 

[libraryfreak]

Be sure to speak clearly, speak louder than you normally would, and s-l-o-w d-o-w-n. I find people tend to want to hurry through speeches when they're nervous. Try not to look at your notes too much, look at the audience. Breathe. Have a glass of water up there, don't be afraid to pause and take a sip. Practice in front of friends.

 

[disfan07]

Thanks everyone.

Speaking too fast is definitely one of my big concerns. I am definitley going ot be practicing beforehand. 3 of my doctors, all of whom are going to be at the lecture, are going to try to set up a time for me to practice with them.

I will have about 90 minutes for my portion so that is definitley more time than I ever had to speak before.

I like the suggestion about thinking of this as advocating for others. I know that all of this is extremely important to me adn I know that it is just as important to so many other people. So many people do not get heard and thats why I am determined to do this lecture. I want to make sure that as patients, we do get heard by our doctors.

 

[GDUL]

One "trick" that I use is to pick out 3 people in the audience - one on the left side of the room, one in the center, and one on the right. As I speak, I take turns "talking" to those three people. To the audience, I'm speaking to all of them as I scan between the three ...... for me, I'm talking to just those three people even though there might be over 100 people sitting there.