Workshop FAQs

Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022
10-11:30 a.m.
Register: https://events.duke.edu/mmworkshop


Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022
12-1:30 p.m.
Register: https://events.duke.edu/mmworkshop


Friday, Feb. 23, 2023
10-11:30 a.m.
Register: https://events.duke.edu/mmworkshop


Thursday, May 18, 2023
10-11:30 a.m.
Register: https://events.duke.edu/mmworkshop

This workshop teaches participants how to respectfully interact with patients or clients who bring up medical myths and misinformation. The instructors’ goal is that workshop participants leave the training feeling prepared — not intimidated, flustered or frustrated — to have safe, productive and trust-building conversations.

This workshop is open to anyone who has a professional role that includes caring for, guiding or consulting with patients. While the program began with the intention to reach clinicians working in the health care industry, the communication tools and techniques taught during the workshops are applicable across a wide array of careers and interactions, not limited to: public health workers, medical students, dentists, physical and massage therapists, chiropractors, dieticians, religious or community leaders or anyone who finds themselves in situations where medical misinformation is an issue.

Each session is 90-minutes long and includes traditional instruction time, as well as small group interactive time

Individual registration for the 90-minute workshop is $125, payable by credit card on the Duke University Conference and Event Services Website: https://events.duke.edu/mmworkshop

Participants begin the 90-minute workshop by learning about the psychological and emotional reasons humans seek out and share misinformation, as well as which situations can make individuals more vulnerable to believing misinformation. Participants then learn appropriate and productive ways to respond to comments, narrative techniques to build trust and conversational tools to help decrease or avoid conflict and tension. For the last section of the workshop, participants spend time in small groups using these skills in interactive, role-playing situations.

No. We welcome those who have no experience with medical misinformation, as well as those who may have been navigating patient-held misinformation for a long time.

Yes. This course is designated as a jointly-accredited activity. Duke University Health System Clinical Education and Professional Development is accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), to provide continuing education for the health care team.

The designation was based upon the quality of the educational activity and its compliance with the standards and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

You will need to attend the full session and complete a short post-course evaluation survey to receive the CE credit. Both the survey and CE certificate will be sent to the email address you provide at registration.

1.5 credits

  • AMA PRA

  • ANCC

  • ACPE – Pharmacy Technician UAN JA0000655-0000-22-142-L04-

  • ACPE - Pharmacist UAN JA0000655-0000-22-142-L04-P

You will leave the workshop with a better understanding of the emotional drivers behind a patient/customer/friend/student’s belief in, or desire to share medical misinformation.

You will be better equipped to respond positively in ways that reaffirm your relationship with that person. The instructors hope you will feel less nervous about engaging in conversations that previously had seemed contentious or volatile because you will no longer feel the need to battle over the veracity of their statements You will also be connecting with a group of people who recognize the power of building stronger relationships of trust and the ongoing need to improve their communication skills.

No. Each session is considered the full training and instruction will be similar each time. However, you are welcome to attend as many times as you’d like to practice the new skills you learned, as the role-playing discussion will be completely unique each time.

In order for participants to get the most out of the training, everyone needs their own computer. We can’t stop you from having someone listening in the background, but we hope that if you're the type of person who’s committed to combatting misinformation and building trust, you’re also the type of person who will encourage co-workers to pay for their own workshop. (Better yet, talk to your company and see if they’ll sponsor you both to attend!)

In a 2021 report, the U.S. Surgeon General declared: “Health misinformation is a serious threat to public health. It can cause confusion, sow mistrust, harm people’s health, and undermine public health efforts. Limiting the spread of health misinformation is a moral and civic imperative that will require a whole-of-society effort.”

Becoming educated on how to have better conversations with patients and build relationships of trust is a critical part of stopping the spread of misinformation and strengthening the health of both individuals and the nation at large.

We encourage participants to join the workshop via a computer (desktop or laptop) rather than a phone. Joining from a phone won’t allow you access to all of the Zoom functionality and shared resources.

Yes. You will need to create a free Zoom account before you can access the training. Visit zoom.us to set one up.

We would love to host a workshop for your entire organization. To start, talk to your administrator/boss and explain to them why this workshop is important and how it could benefit your organization. Then, once you’ve convinced them, have them email us at mmworkshop@duke.edu. We’ll be happy to arrange a private 30-seat session where your entire organization can go through this learning process together and then practice as small groups. It’s a great team-building exercise that leaves everyone better equipped to handle difficult conversations when they arise. And don’t forget, the workshop provides CE-credit for certain professional groups.

We offer 4 trainings a year, with options for group workshops as requested. If none of the individual sessions work for you, try to get a group of people together and request a group workshop. If that doesn’t work, keep checking back for next year’s dates, or send us an email with your suggestion.

After you’ve attended a workshop, share what you learned with your friends, colleagues and family members. Invite them to register for the next workshop. Encourage your company/organization/business to host a group workshop. Share your thoughts on social media and tag us in your posts. Work to build relationships of trust in your community using the tools you were given. Sign up for another workshop to learn from another group of peers.

Your participation in these surveys is incredibly helpful and allows us to study the program so we can improve. Surveys before the training allow us to get a sense of how much you know about medical misinformation and your initial reactions to it, while surveys after the training allow us to gauge how helpful the program was in addressing your questions or concerns, and how much you felt it improved your skill set.

Our program is always looking to connect with individuals who feel passionately about building relationships of trust and working through medical misinformation. Please reach out to us at mmworkshop@duke.edu with questions, comments or concerns.

If your question is about the program and the workshops, or scheduling a group workshop, please email us at mmworkshop@duke.edu. We appreciate your patience with our response time. If your question is about individual registration logistics or paying for a workshop, please email conferenceservices@duke.edu.