Shortly after we began to realize the pervasive nature of the COVID-19 virus, many aspects of the world shifted. Not only in our daily lives within our communities but also on a grander scale. Schools closed, as did doctors’ offices, for some time. In this shift, the way in which doctors and other medical personnel would engage in continued education was in question. Fortunately, because we live in the age of technology, businesses like ours, in which the highest-quality training is our objective, were able to pivot into a new model that could sustain the needs of the medical community. Since the summer of 2020, SMTS – Surgical & Medical Training Services has been providing doctors and other clients with the ability to live stream their teaching events. At the time when live streaming was a vital necessity, it was unclear how long the model would remain popular. We’re still observing. Even with vaccines and more lenient mandates in many parts of the country, the interest in live stream versus in-person events remains high. We think we know why.
Some of the beneficial aspects of live stream medical demonstrations and lectures include:
- Although the term live stream indicates that attendees can observe the lecture and demonstration in real-time, they also have the opportunity to watch the provided content as a recording. Having this flexibility, the interested doctor or professional may be more likely to register for a course which, in turn, benefits the host by expanding their capacity to disperse vital medical information.
- The participants of live stream events who do attend live have the opportunity to engage with the host and other attendees during the event. While training may be held online, our goal is to set up the event in a way that preserves the quality of communication and comprehension that would be available in a face-to-face scenario.
- Streamed events may cost less than in-person training events because the facility and equipment need to house only the host and a few assistants, rather than an entire group.
- The hosts of live stream events have access to their training content, which they may choose to repurpose for additional uses. For example, the live video from a streamed event may be used to create a YouTube video or infographic for a website.
While the need for social distancing pushed the option of live streaming into the limelight, this powerful channel for content delivery was already gaining traction. Even now that it seems we’ve gotten somewhat of a handle on the pandemic and how to protect ourselves and one another, many doctors, organizations, and device manufacturers continue to find live streaming a convenient and cost-effective way to reach their intended audiences. At SMTS – Surgical & Medical Training Services, we continue to get creative about developing the best models of education for our clients. To learn more about our live stream services or mobile labs, contact us at (888) 801-9444 or online.
