Blackboard Radio

Surgical Strike: Noted MD Surgeon Powers Himself to Fluency in the English Language for Guest Lectures

How does it feel when you are a doctor with appointments running well into waiting for the next month, and patients thanking the heavens just because they could have a word with you? Would you rather have a mass fan-following among aspiring medical professionals and that you’d be spending weekends teaching them ways that could save a life?

Dr. Ramya had it both ways. A noted hepatologist, he is known for his expertise in curing liver diseases like Hepatitis, Jaundice, and Cirrhosis. He is known for treating several hundred patients who had seemingly given up on themselves. His waiting list runs well into the following month and out of that, he also delivers guest lectures on intricate topics in some noted medical colleges.

You would like to trade your life with him, won’t you? But you would not have done that if you had met him a few months ago.

Stuttering and stammering were regular attendees of his lectures

Dr. Ramya wasn’t too prolific a speaker except for Hindi and Bengali; sadly, neither counted in his favour while delivering lectures. He wasn’t too good at speaking in English. These challenges diluted his otherwise strong stature as a surgeon par excellence. The attending students in his lectures used to feel a bit unsatisfied because he could not translate his vast expertise into words. He could not even take questions on topics he was considered a master of.

Not that he hadn’t tried to get rid of these issues. He had taken a few online English-speaking classes from noted organizations like Clapingo and DivasGupta.com but none of them could get to the root cause of his issues. They only offered guidance on some superficial aspects like a better choice of words or a brush-up of basic grammar, but it was never going to be enough. They did not realize that the doctor’s fast train of thought made him stutter and stammer. Stage fright made it worse.

Dr. Ramya dials back on Blackboard Radio

Three years is a long time to create a reputation. Dr. Ramya had certainly made a mark for himself in the professional arena and he knew that his lack of confidence was affecting his social image. He knew he had to come good and address the root causes of his poor communication skills.

Dr. Ramya knew medical students were deeply interested in knowing his real-life experiences with patients and surgeries. They used to draw similarities between what they were taught in class and how they should conduct a surgery, should such a need arise. The doctor had a lot of precious knowledge to share but his poor communication skills turned his students off. Fumbling and stuttering turned the students off.

Deciding to take the bull by the horns, he enrolled in Blackboard Radio’s online classes. He signed up for the Foundation Class (worth Rs. 499) to test the waters before going deeper into them. The mentor talked with him about his expectations and background, identified the key gaps, and chalked out a systematic plan to iron out those flaws.

Just what the doctor ordered!

Blackboard Radio’s radically new teaching methodology is centered on providing a mentor (or English-speaking coach) who will work on the exact same issues as the enrolee is keen to address. Post the Foundation Class, the trainer had chalked out a teaching plan to cover up these loopholes. This was supposed to be based on real-time and constructive feedback to correct the issues as they came up.

Dr. Ramya chose to go with the class called ‘Fluency in English Communication.’ It comprised many salient topics like English grammar and Application, Essential Vocabulary, and Reduction of Filler Words. These aspects were supported by the development of softer skills like Body Language and the Art of Conversing for both formal and informal setups.

Four classes into the course, he was a changed man!

Dr. Ramya decided to put off giving lectures for a few months to focus on the learning sessions. He needed a mentor and a lot of confidence because he wanted to put up a better show. The teacher was more than determined to help him swim through the rough waters and it was evident from his cumulative feedback mentioned below:

Class 1: His lack of fluency is more mental than technical. He has ample knowledge and converses well in Hindi, but English makes him fumble. I have advised him to keep it simple and not get nervous. It would also help him to speak slowly and not try to do too many things at a time.
Class 2: We have had it. He makes a big mess of tenses and grammar, and has been taunted about this by his peers. This makes him feel less deserving. He should work on these two aspects of the English language. He does not need to worry about his vocabulary- it is good!
Class 3: He has followed the feedback rather nicely. He still speaks well but hesitates while initiating a conversation in English. He should also read some English stories and novels.
Class 4: Sentence restructuring and reframing is another aspect on which he should work. He should also be more regular and focus on completing his Gem assignments on time. The correct pronunciation is another issue he needs to address.

The course is not even half complete and Dr. Ramya says he has gotten some very good results with these live, 1:1 mentorship sessions. Personalized attention to eliminating grass-root problems has also afforded him the luxury of strengthening his basics related to grammar, vocabulary, and sentence formation. This is why he is confident about putting up a better show in his next lecture.

You do not always need to be a surgeon to do this surgical strike!

Your communication skills will always have a decisive say in how you fare as a professional in today’s highly competitive world. You would always need to communicate your ideas and instructions to others and know what they think of the same. This requires a commanding presence, central to which lies fluency in communication skills.

With Blackboard Radio’s online 1:1 classes, you can enjoy that flexibility without disturbing your work schedule. You can thus sign up for your first session or Foundation Class to avail these benefits at a time and place of your choice. You may thus use your smartphone or laptop to get started today on a more positive note- and the best thing is that you may further customize your session by choosing from eight different disciplines.

Remember, the only thing that you could be now short of is a desire to change your life for the better.

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