Summer Intensive for Presentation Skills
Program Description
Presentation skills are essential in academia.
The ability to present information clearly and concisely is an essential academic skill that cuts across all disciplines, departments, and academic ranks. Presentation skills are an important component of educational effectiveness and leadership, and are implemented in numerous academic contexts including lecturing within a course, grand rounds presentations, oral conference presentations, keynote or invited talks, job interviews, and meeting facilitation.
Presentation skills can be taught.
While traits such as “charisma” may be innate, the development and delivery of high-quality presentations require skills that can and should be mastered. Our trainees and audience members deserve to be on the receiving end of thoughtful content organization, evidence-based slide design, masterful use of technology, and dynamic delivery. These elements promote learning.
Overview
UMass Chan Medical School’s Summer Intensive for Presentation Skills (SIPS) is a three-day in-person program for faculty interested in improving their ability to design and deliver outstanding presentations. SIPS is the only training program of its kind designed specifically for faculty in the health professions and biomedical sciences.
It is NOT the intent of this program to turn medical educators into motivational speakers. It is NOT the intent of this program to turn faculty into graphic designers. The goals of the SIPS program are to train faculty to present dense, complex content in ways that directly facilitate learning and engagement, and to think critically about the content and delivery of academic presentations.
The program includes training on the following elements:
· Content selection and organization
· Purpose and use of learning objectives
· Integration of opportunities for active learning
· Evidence-based principles of slide design
· Presenting on virtual platforms
· Data visualization
· Use of audiovisual technology
· Public speaking
During the three-day program, participants will develop and deliver a short presentation on a topic of their choice. Each participant will receive personalized feedback on their presentation.
Program Fees
The total program fee for the three-day program is $375 for UMass Chan faculty, and $500 for faculty from other institutions. The program fee includes two meals per day. To keep program administration costs low and to avoid passing along these costs to participants, the program is offered during the week and CME is not provided.
Program Acceptance & Participation
The SIPS program is purposefully designed as a summer course to minimize competition with other faculty development programs and professional commitments. We understand that summer vacation plans are often made well in advance, which is why we open the application portal and require faculty commitment to the program so early in the calendar year.
Interested faculty must complete an online application form to be considered for one of the ten faculty slots. (Note: A total of four slots will be held for UMass Chan faculty and affiliates from the nursing, medical and graduate schools.) We welcome applications from individuals with faculty appointments at other accredited health professions institutions.
For those participants traveling to UMass Chan in Worcester, MA there is a hotel option within walking distance of the campus.
Apply HERE
Once accepted to the program, participation in SIPS consists of:
- A one-hour virtual planning meeting in the spring
- Three full days of in-person didactics, discussion, and project work, and
- A one-hour virtual follow-up meeting three months after the program ends
SIPS participants must commit to attend all program components. Participants must bring with them a personal device with access to presentation software such as PowerPoint or Google Slides.
For more information
Information sessions for interested faculty will be held in February via Zoom.
Please contact Emily Green (Emily.Green@UMassmed.edu) with any questions.
Important 2025 Dates
February 26 @ 4pm & February 28 @12pm Virtual information sessions (attend one)- Register HERE.
March 24 Applications due
Early April Program acceptances sent
June 9 Planning meeting for participants (June 9, 12:00-1:00pm) to discuss the project component of the program
July 23-25 Summer Intensive on Presentation Skills program (course schedule TBD)
Oct/Nov Follow-up meeting for program participants (date/time TBD)