Speaker Resources - Continuing Pharmacy Education

Presentation titles and learning objectives are developed for speakers by UT CPE and planning committee members, specifically to address the knowledge/practice gaps that have been identified through a multi-step needs assessment process. 

Please consult with UT CPE prior to presentation development if you wish to modify this information, to ensure your edited title/objectives will still meet the identified knowledge/practice gaps.  For more guidance on developing effective learning objectives that fit the desired level of learning, see Additional Resources – Developing Learning Objectives.

Slide 1:  Presentation Title & Presenter Title/Credentials

Slide 2:  Financial Disclosure

Slide 3:  List Learning Objectives

Segment 1:  Address 1 to 2 Objectives + Recap Key Points + Active Learning Exercise

Segment 2:  Address 1 to 2 Objectives + Recap Key Points + Active Learning Exercise

Continue adding segments until ALL learning objectives have been addressed.

Last Slide:  Overall Summary Points/Clinical Pearls

End with Q/A session:  IMPORTANT to reserve at least 10 minutes for Q/A

*  Presentation slides are required for ACPE accreditation and should be formatted as described above.  Please contact UT CPE if you wish to use something other than a slide presentation for your educational materials.

In alignment with updated Texas state requirements and Federal ADA Title II regulations, all continuing education content must be accessible to individuals with disabilities. These guidelines ensure that our clinical CPE/CME materials are usable for all healthcare professionals, including those who use assistive technologies like screen readers.

Conduct an Accessibility Review

Before submitting your final presentation, you must run a built-in accessibility check to identify and resolve potential barriers.

• How to find it: In Microsoft PowerPoint (Windows or Mac), go to the Review tab and select Check Accessibility.
• What to fix: Resolve all "Errors" (e.g., missing alt-text, missing slide titles) and "Warnings" (e.g., hard-to-read text contrast) listed in the Inspection Results pane.

Visual Design & Templates

Assistive technologies rely on a logical structure and clear contrast to convey information.

• UT Template: We strongly recommend using the official UT PPT Template or a high-contrast theme (check with program coordinators for the UT PPT template).
• Backgrounds: Avoid background graphics, watermarks, or busy patterns behind text, as these interfere with readability for users with low vision.
• Slide Titles: Every slide must have a unique, descriptive title. If you have multiple slides on one topic (e.g., "Clinical Trials"), label them "Clinical Trials (1 of 3)," etc.
• Font Choice: Use sans-serif fonts (e.g., Arial, Calibri, or Verdana) at a minimum size of 24pt for body text.

Graphs, Photos, and Research Data

Screen readers cannot "read" an image. You must provide a text-based alternative for every non-text element.

• Generative AI for Alt-Text: For complex clinical graphs or research charts, we recommend uploading the image to a generative AI (like ChatGPT or Gemini) with the prompt: "Provide a detailed ADA-compliant description of this research graphic for a clinical audience." Be sure to review the AI-generated description for clarity and accuracy.
• The "Context Slide": To maintain slide clarity, place the original graph on one slide. Immediately following it, insert a "copy" slide or a dedicated text slide containing the full AI-generated description. Please note that all text present in the image must be present in the text description. This ensures that the data insights are accessible to everyone.

Clinical References & Hyperlinks

• Reference Formatting: Use full, standardized references at the base of your slides. If space is limited, use an abbreviated format that clearly connects to a complete Reference List on your final slides.
• Descriptive Links: Avoid using "Click Here" or long, raw URLs. Instead, use descriptive link text, such as: View “name” article here.

Additional Clinical Recommendations

• Color as Meaning: Never use color as the only way to convey a clinical finding (e.g., "Red values indicate high risk"). Use symbols, bolding, or text labels in addition to color.
• Table Structure: If using tables for dosage or data, use the "Insert Table" feature rather than a screenshot. Ensure you have checked the "Header Row" box in the Table Design tab so screen readers can navigate the columns correctly.
• Video Captions: If your presentation includes video clips (e.g., a patient interview or procedural video), the video must include closed captioning or you must provide a written transcript.
• Reading Order: Use the Selection Pane (Home > Select > Selection Pane) to ensure the items on your slide are in the correct order. Screen readers read objects in the order they were added to the slide (bottom to top in the pane).

Speaker Checklist for Submission

• Accessibility Checker run and all "Errors" resolved.
• All images and graphs have descriptive text or a follow-up description slide.
• High-contrast colors used (no text over busy backgrounds).
• All slides have unique titles.
• Videos are captioned or transcripts provided.

The UT College of Pharmacy encourages the use of Generative AI (GenAI) as a powerful tool to enhance the clarity, accessibility, and professional delivery of your educational content. Our goal is to leverage these tools to improve the learner experience while ensuring that the clinical and practice-based expertise remains uniquely yours.

Using AI as a "Communication Coach"

We encourage speakers to use AI to refine their language and tailor their layout to our specific attendee demographics. You do not need to disclose or reference the use of AI for these purposes.

• Audience Tuning: After drafting your content, use GenAI to review for audience resonance.
  • Example Prompt: "Review these slide outlines for an audience of practicing pharmacists at all levels (community and health-system). Does the terminology align with current pharmacy practice? Is there also sufficient clarity for pharmacy technicians who will be in attendance?"
• Structural Refinement: Use AI to suggest better slide transitions, simplify complex sentences, or ensure a logical flow of learning objectives.
• Visual Generation: Using AI to generate non-clinical illustrative images or to help format graphs is considered a design utility, similar to using PowerPoint’s built-in "Design Ideas" or "Spell Check."

When to Disclose: Substance vs. Utility

The guiding principle for disclosure is origination. If the AI is generating the actual clinical knowledge or evidence-based descriptions you want the learner to acquire, it must be cited.

• No Reference Needed (Utility): Using AI for language drafting, grammar review, slide layout, or generating clarifying visuals.
• Reference Required (Content): If you ask an AI system to summarize treatment options, describe a new drug’s mechanism of action, or synthesize data from research articles. If the AI is "originating" the clinical content, the learner has a right to know the source.

Disclosure Standards (ACPE Guidelines)

If GenAI is used to develop the actual educational content of a CE activity, ACPE strongly suggests disclosing the following details to the learners on your "Disclosures" slide:

1. Application Name: (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude)
2. Version: (e.g., GPT-4o, Gemini 1.5 Pro)
3. Purpose: (e.g., "AI was used to summarize the secondary endpoints of the clinical trials discussed.")
4. Date of Use: (The date the prompt was executed)

A Note on Clinical Expertise

Our learners attend our seminars for your expertise, clinical judgment, and lived experience in the field.

• Avoid Over-Referencing: You do not need to cite AI for every brainstorming session or grammatical fix. Over-referencing can dilute the perceived authority of your presentation.
• Verify Everything: AI can hallucinate clinical data or cite non-existent guidelines. If you use AI to help summarize content, you are responsible for the accuracy of that data. Always cross-reference AI-generated clinical statements against primary literature and current practice standards.

Key Takeaway for Speakers

Use AI to make your expertise more accessible, not to replace it. If the AI helped you explain your point better, no citation is needed. If the AI provided the point itself, a disclosure is required.

Please plan to deliver content in smaller segments (see below).  This delivery format improves learner engagement and is also preferred by learners.

Format each segment as follows:

• Spend 10-15 minutes addressing one or two learning objectives.
• Recap the “key points” that have been addressed in the segment.
• End each segment with an active learning question to assess learners’ understanding of the objective(s) that you addressed.
• Repeat the above format for EACH segment until all objectives have been addressed

Presentations must be submitted by the due date** designated in the Speaker Invitation Packet to allow enough time for peer-review. 

Reviewers will ensure the following:

• Slides 1, 2, 3 appear exactly as described in Slide Format
• Active learning exercise(s) are included in the presentation slides
• Content is valid, unbiased, and evidence-based (references are included)
• All objectives are addressed, and the quantity of content is reasonable for the time allotment

∗∗   If a presentation is not submitted by the designated due date, UT CPE reserves the right to adjust the presenter’s honorarium and/or the ACPE accreditation.

If a presentation does not include active learning questions, UT CPE will contact the speaker to coordinate the addition of questions to their slides.

Presenters are encouraged to develop content that prepares pharmacists for the delivery of patient-centered collaborative care as depicted in The Pharmacists' Patient Care Process by the Joint Commission of Pharmacy Practitioners (JCPP).

Disclosure of Financial Relationships:
Presenters are expected to disclose financial relationships that are relevant to their activity content by completing the Financial Disclosure Form provided in their invitation packet. 

Presenters must also list their financial disclosures at the start of their slide presentation (see Slide Format).  If a presenter does not have any financial disclosures, they must state as such.

Conflicts of Interest & Resolution Process:
UT CPE reviews financial disclosures for conflict of interest. 

If a conflict of interest exists, UT CPE staff or peer reviewer will review the content and work with presenter to resolve the conflict prior to the activity. 

Unbiased & Evidence-Based Presentations:
Presentation slides must be non-promotional and use generic names of medications. 

If the trade name of a medication must be used for the sake of educational purposes, the equivalent generic(s) must also be named alongside the trade name.

Presenters must base content on the best available evidence and state references.

UT CPE activities will be video-recorded for on-demand learning.  Presentations delivered during live events will be recorded as the presenter delivers the presentation to the audience, whether in-person in front of an audience or virtually via videoconferencing.  Other presentations may be recorded in a studio environment, on UT campus/College of Pharmacy, in a practice environment to demonstrate or simulate practice scenarios, or virtually from the presenter’s home or office environment.  UT CPE staff will determine the recording environment for each presentation.

Live In-Person Recordings 
Detailed instructions will be provided by UT CPE staff closer to the event.

Activity Details:

• Typically, UT CPE in-person conferences are set up in a traditional lecture format, in a large classroom setting.  
• Audiences range from 100 to 500 participants.
• The use of presentation slides is expected.
• All presentations are recorded, whether they are delivered in-person or virtually via webinar.
• Presentations must be broken up into smaller segments that are easier to digest (see Presentation Delivery).
• Activity Evaluation:  Participants will complete online evaluations following each CPE activity.  UT CPE will summarize evaluation data and share feedback with speakers.

Question & Answer Sessions:

• During live presentations, it is very IMPORTANT to reserve at least 10 minutes of your time block to answer questions from the audience.
• Participant feedback indicates that the Q/A session is one of the most effective learning components of a CPE activity.

• University of Texas Payee Information Form
• ACPE Guidance on Developing Learning Objectives
• UT CPE Activity Guidelines
• Active Learning Exercises