August 2007 Vol 7 copy.indd How to Present at Meetings Second Edition 2007 Author: George M Hall Reviewer: *Vaidyanathan Gowri SULTAN QABOOS UNIVERSITY MEDICAL JOURNAL AUGUST 2007 VOL 7, NO. 2, P. 165-168 SULTAN QABOOS UNIVERSITY© SUBMITTED - 21ST APRIL 2007 A U T H O R The author of this book is a Professor of Anaesthesia, St George’s Hospital, University of London, UK. B A C K G R O U N D T O T H E B O O K Many trainees in medicine, while competent in their speciality, struggle to give a good presentation at a meet- ing. The aim of this book is to provide a basic framework around which a proficient talk can be built. The content covers the essential parts of presentation, preparation of visual aids and computer generated slides and pro- vides advice on how to sell a message, how to appear on stage and how to deal with questions. O V E R V I E W O F C O N T E N T The book has 72 pages. It consists of preface and index with 11 chapters as follows: 1. Principles of communication 2. Preparation of the talk 3. The three talks 4. Visual aids 5. Computer generated slides: how to make a mess with power point 6. How to appear on stage 7. How to sell a message 8. How to present a talk 9. How to deal with questions 10. How not to give a presentation 11. How to chair a session T H E R E A D E R S H I P M O S T S U I T E D F O R T H I S The book is suited for all the training and trained health professionals starting from senior house officers to sen- ior faculty in any speciality. It will be suitable for train- ees preparing for a department preparation, interdis- ciplinary meetings and also faculty who are invited to speak as experts. This book is suitable for all teachers in medicine: there are also some valid points for a good lecture preparation. A P P R O P R I A T E N E S S O F T H E C O N T E N T T O T A R G E T R E A D E R S H I P The content is suitable for the intended readership. The fact that the editor included a variety of authors makes this book good reading for many categories of health B O O K R E V I E W 2007 الثانية الطبعة / االجتماعات في (تعرض) تقدم كيف هول جورج �تأليف: جوري فيديانثان مراجعة: Blackwell Publishing, BMJ books ISBN 13:978-1-4051-3985-4 Price GBP 14.99 Available at www.clinicalpublishing.co.uk *Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sultan Qaboos University, P. O. Box 35, Al-Khod 123, Sultanate of Oman Email: gowri@squ.edu.om G E O R G E M H A L L 166 professionals. C O M P R E H E N S I V E N E S S O F T H E C O N T E N T The book covers the principles of communication, how to prepare a talk well and the importance of rehearsal. There is very good advice on the various types of visual aids and how to use them well. There are also very good tips on the preparation of power point slides, how to appear on stage and how to get a message across. The importance of capturing the curiosity of the audience and aiming for brevity and clarity is underlined. There is also a chapter on how to deal with questions. O R G A N I Z A T I O N O F T H E C O N T E N T The contents are well organized, but possibly the chap- ters on how to appear on stage and how to present a talk could have preceded the other chapters like “the three talks”. The chapter on how not to give a presenta- tion is equally interesting and important. G E N E R A L C O M M E N T S O N Q U A L I T Y O F C O N T E N T A N D P R O D U C T I O N The book is small and easy to be carried around. It is a paperback edition and can easily be read during a short travel trip. It is worth possessing until you become a regular and popular speaker and even after that.