The world of eLearning is a veritable ocean of subject matter, which varies in complexity and often harbours quite technical and specialized vocabulary. For eLearning narrators, familiarity with these fields is often necessary. For especially technical narration like medical, tripping over words or a stilted or slow narration of vocabulary makes listeners who use this language daily uncomfortable. And while pronunciations are sometimes provided by the client and mispronunciations corrected or clarified for regionalisms or varied pronunciations, precision is important for excellent medical eLearning voice over narration.
For a narrator, medical eLearning is not a genre you want to begin with unless you happen to have come from that field. I’ve coached doctors, nurses, and pharmaceutical sales reps and medical writers who have been interested in transitioning into voice over narration. For them, the vocabulary and familiarity with science were easy. Their challenges came with learning how to make someone else’s words sound like their own, thus making sure the information doesn’t sound read but rather spoken in an engaging fashion.
Doctor friends who consume medical eLearning, animation, and podcasts say they listen and pay close attention to the information. For them, the narration has to be immediately engaging and hold their attention, so they can learn and concentrate on the material being conveyed.
What then makes a medical narration interesting? Truly excellent medical narration is intelligent, likeable, and authentic. The narration is able to match the message with the target audience. Medical professionals are busy people and so a voice that sounds like a peer can navigate the vocabulary and present material in a collegial manner keeps their attention. If the narration sounds like someone who is not familiar with the subject matter, medical pros may lose patience, disengage or have to work harder to listen past the distraction of an incompetent presentation to absorb the information.
For those interested in pursuing medical narration, here is a breakdown of some of its specific areas and what a voice over actor can keep in mind to help achieve great performances in this genre.
Medical training
What Are They:
The term “medical training” obviously covers a very large variety of subjects, but what I’m referring to here is training on procedures and techniques and are often actual courses offered by universities and medical schools.
How They Differ and/or Approach to Narration:
Keep in mind you are teaching doctors. This is truly a place to embody the role of the SME (subject matter expert – emphasis on the word expert) or professor. The narration should exude confidence and guide the students through subjects they may be encountering for the first time.
Medical animations
What Are They:
Medical illustration is a recognized specialization in many academic institutions worldwide and advances in technology have led to the creation of medical animations. These videos explore life sciences in detail from minute cellular function to impact of disease on various body/organ systems to drug delivery systems and more.
How They Differ and/or Approach to Narration:
Here we narrate to picture and so need to leave time for elements to animate. You likely won’t see the video prior to recording, so it is important to imagine (“see”) what is happening on screen and stay engaged with the content. I’ve narrated a whole college level biology textbook that was animated. From electrons to molecules to cellular systems, that was fascinating.
Pharma – Clinical trials, MOA, product launches
What Are They:
To bring a drug to market, it has to pass through numerous clinical trials. Pharmaceutical reps get a thorough education on the drugs they are going to sell during the various trials. Mechanism of Action (MOA) programs are videos that explain the specific biochemical interactions of the drug. A rep needs a thorough grounding in this information before speaking with a pharmacy or hospital about prescribing the drug.
How They Differ and/or Approach to Narration:
These presentations are for professionals who are again, very knowledgeable in their field. This eLearning is peer oriented. I like to have some sympathy for the learner who needs to “teach/tell/sell” the docs, hospitals and formularies on their drugs.
Pharma – patient journey, support programs, payment
What Are They:
These trainings are focused on the human experience – what each patient, doc, pharmacist, specialist, nurse, care coordinator, caregiver, etc are going through at different time points. They also focus on support programs that are the teams behind speciality drugs and sorting the logistics of how they operate and receive payment, navigating the labyrinth of insurance options.
How They Differ and/or Approach to Narration:
The narration still needs to be confident and knowledgeable, but can inject more warmth and even (where appropriate) notes that could be considered upbeat. Often they involve role-play and here, where characters are concerned, actual “real person” acting is the norm with the emotions of worry, joy, pain, and hope performed.
Pharma – market map, brand positioning, comparators
What Are They:
Market maps, brand positioning, and comparators training are all geared towards giving pharmaceutical reps a better understanding of the market for the products they are selling.
How They Differ and/or Approach to Narration:
The content dictates variations in delivery, but they generally fall into two categories: instructional where they are more serious, (but not dark), intelligent peer-to-peer, and occasionally podcast-style or NPR approach in nature. They have to be conversational and flow well within that realm. The other style is more proactive, dynamic and borders on upbeat.
Medical podcasts – AMA, conferences, webinars
What are they:
There are many opportunities for medical professionals to get up-to-the-minute news and information from their peers. These often come in the form of podcasts, conference videos, and webinars.
How They Differ and/or Approach to Narration:
These presentations are to seasoned medical and pharmaceutical professionals. They are peer-to-peer and often very “NPR” in style – fast(er) talking, lively discussions – and the delivery is much more conversational.
CME and online classes
What are they:
CME stands for Continuing Medical Education and is required of all medical professionals. Often these courses are available online.
How They Differ and/or Approach to Narration:
Often very instructional and serious. They also have to walk the line between thoughtful and pedantic. There still should be a (very) contained underlying enthusiasm and passion for the subject matter
Hospital videos – welcome, what to expect, safety, compliance
What are they:
Often hospitals produce video content for their websites, to play in waiting rooms, and to send to patients before surgical and medical procedures to educate patients on the mission of the hospital, what to expect during a hospital stay, important safety information or compliance issues.
How They Differ and/or Approach to Narration:
These videos are intended to make a patient feel safe and confident that they are receiving excellent care. The delivery here is warm, welcoming, smooth, and friendly. They are also peer-oriented when the subject matter revolves around safety and compliance.
What to expect patient participation, studies, etc
What are they:
Along the lines of the welcome and safety presentations, other video content surrounding patient participation, studies, etc. are produced and shared on various platforms and directly with patients.
How They Differ and/or Approach to Narration:
Here we are talking largely to laypeople. Revealing all the possible positive and negative outcomes. The approach is warm, borders on friendly, but is careful to remain sincere. Conversational but at a speed to ensure the listener (potential study participant) really has time to take all the info in.
Instruction manuals
What are they:
Instruction manuals for medical devices from surgical instruments to blood pressure cuffs to radiation machines are produced in interactive eLearning programs. They are also available in video and/or audio formats.
How They Differ and/or Approach to Narration:
Instruction manuals in the healthcare setting mean you are talking to nurses, doctors, radiologists, specialists, people for whom this language is normal and every day. Convey the info in a high level peer-to-peer manner. A matter-of-fact approach is good. There is room for a modicum of warmth in some instances. Always speak as if the learner is right at your elbow watching and participating as you instruct.
Multimedia, PowerPoint presentations
What are they:
Often in a moment of medical crisis or in times where fast-moving and evolving medical education is necessary, there are tight turn arounds for sharing information in hospitals and other care settings. Sometimes this is done by doctor/specialist/professor led presentations or conference presentations, and sometimes it is done by a narrator. I saw a lot of these in the flurry of early COVID-19 reactions.
How They Differ and/or Approach to Narration:
With these presentations, there may be a sense of controlled urgency, celebration of a breakthrough or a focused narration approach. The delivery may be helpful, and is always purposeful.