PowerPoint presentations (PPP): From A to Z

Abstract

In the last several decades of the twentieth century, an overhead projector was a great option for giving presentations. One could write the main points on a transparent sheet and project it onto a screen, including drawings and graphs. Alternatively, slides incorporating such information could be projected on a screen with a carousel. The limitations included carrying these and the inability to share or make changes later. The 1990s heralded the era of PowerPoint presentations (PPPs), which have relegated these to history. Toward the end of the second millennium, when the digital mode took over numerous tasks, PPPs became the sine qua non in almost every form of activity. PPPs refer to presentations made with a PowerPoint slideshow projected from a computer. It allows for the systematic presentation of a clinical subject followed by structured feedback from the audience. PPPs carry numerous advantages as it is a condensation of the source material by which the reader may assimilate information in a short time and record it through screenshots and video recording.Some obstacles, however, may limit the delivery of an effective presentation, for instance: Lack of clarity; Not knowing the supervisor’s expectations [1]; Limited data outlining the established standards for effective presentations [2]. This article outlines key points constituting an effective PPP as an efficient mode of skills assessment to promote competency-based medical education.