The NUMBER ONE mistake made by residents

I recently attended an M&M conference that was presented by an anesthesia resident. The content was just fine—it was well-researched and there were multiple learning points. But there was something that the presenter kept saying that, after a while, became quite distracting and ultimately downgraded the quality of the presentation. 

It's something that all of us say unknowingly, but it immediately makes us sound unsure, less confident, and less competent. On the other hand, people who don’t say this say this sound more professional, polished, and competent. So, what is this awful thing I’m talking about?

Saying “uh” and “um”.

You probably say these hundreds of times a day and no one notices. Listen mindfully, and you'll hear "uh" and "um" everywhere, everyday. They might even serve a purpose in conversation by signaling to your listener "hey, I'm still talking". But during a presentation, saying “uh” or “um” sounds bad, and it only sounds worse the more you say it. The next time you listen to your favorite podcast, take notice of how many times the host says "um"-- I bet you can count the number of times on one hand.  

Here's the good news: this is very correctable, and a bit of self-awareness will help you hear your "um"s. Give it a try! You'll be surprised at how much different you sound. So...stop saying “uh”, and instantly level up your public speaking game!