Longwood’s Research Symposium Day is definitely what has helped me the most with my public speaking skills in all aspects. I have presented every semester here at Longwood through oral and poster presentations. Three specific presentations come to mind when reflecting on my public speaking skills over the last few years: BIOL 251, BIOL 250, and PRISM.
In BIOL 251, we were assigned an oral presentation about the research my group and I conducted over the semester. We focused on comparing death rates using survivorship curves across many variables. In BIOL 250, we had to do a poster presentation with a partner discussing our research on SNPs in class. Lastly, our PRISM poster just discussed our research conducted over the summer.
The BIOL 251 presentation helped me in various ways. I had never given a presentation to many professors at one time nor in front of a big audience like this day. I remember being so nervous, but this helped me so much. This presentation gave me loads of confidence for future presentations at Longwood. I learned how to prepare for professional presentations and how to actually present in front of bigger audiences like the one I was in front of that day. BIOL 250 was a little different. We were assigned a poster presentation, but due to COVID we had to present virtually. Although COVID took many experiences from me, I am very thankful to have had the opportunity to learn how to present virtually! This is a skill I’m not sure I would have learned without it. I did learn, however, that poster presentations over zoom are completely different when compared to in-person sessions. During PRISM, I remember asking my professor how to present a poster and he looked confused and asked about what I learned in 250 before realizing I had to present online! It was such an interesting experience seeing how the two formats differed from one another, and I believe both are necessary for my future endeavors as a medical student and physician.
For 250 and 251, I had to know how to present in front of a group of scientists, so a lot of jargon was allowed and I was able to present the science as it. This skill was carried on in other written formats in my upper-level biology courses, as well as in my oral presentations for these classes. For PRISM, however, I had to learn how to go back and forth between speaking for fellow scientists and for a general audience. These skills do not only help me in my upper-level courses at Longwood, they are also helping me in my current position as a medical assistant. With this position, I have had to do loads of research on COVID since the particular office I’m working at has a COVID rapid PCR test. I am currently running that machine and I have to be the one to update the doctors on the latest research as well as explain some test results to patients. These skills have allowed me to speak appropriately when talking to different individuals and communicate my thoughts and results efficiently.
Click here to view my BIOL 251 presentation.
Click here to view my BIOL 250 poster. It is shown at the bottom of the page.
Click here to view my PRISM poster.