How to give a good lecture / tutorial

Teaching is an important part of an academic career. Whilst the thought of giving a lecture may seem daunting (it might not feel so long ago that you were a medical student), it is a great way to promote pathology and engage the next generation. With time, it might even become enjoyable and rewarding!

Preparation

• Check whether the lecture has been given before and if you can adapt a copy of the slides (with acknowledgement) – this will save time.
• Check the course syllabus and lecture aims and objectives (these may change year on year).
• Make sure you’re comfortable with the lecture material and feel confident delivering the lecture to time. Aim to start 5 minutes after the advertised start time to allow for late-comers and finish 5 minutes before the advertised end time to allow time for questions.
• Try to link the lecture material to clinical scenarios to demonstrate the clinical relevance.

During the lecture

• Arrive early so that you can familiarise yourself with the equipment (computer, lights, audio).
• Let the audience know whether you expect interaction and whether questions can be asked at any point or should be kept until the end.
• Keep to time.

After the lecture

• Ask for feedback – it helps you to improve and looks good on your CV
• Create a folder for your presentations and save the presentation with a date and meaningful name – this will help you to find it easily again.
• Record the fact that you delivered the lecture/tutorial on your CV