PM110 Good Witness or Bad Witness?
1:00–3:00 pm
2.0 CME CREDITS
Regulations and laws permeate the practice of medicine, making it likely that most physicians will interact with the legal system sometime during their careers. This introductory course shows pathologists how to apply their existing communication skills when talking with and testifying before attorneys—including attorneys whose intent is hostile. After a brief review of the principles supporting the adversarial legal system and interactions between witnesses and lawyers, faculty will perform mock witness examinations using challenging case to demonstrate how to answer questions and, just as importantly, how not to answer questions in legal proceedings. Participants will break into small groups and learn firsthand through role-play scenarios what it is like to be an expert witness. Faculty will provide observations and feedback.
You will learn to:
- Identify techniques commonly employed by attorneys facing expert witnesses and learn strategies to counteract them
- Understand the role of the expert witness in the adversarial judicial system
- Apply communication skills and professionalism from the practice setting to interaction with friendly and hostile attorneys
Faculty
Gregory G. Davis, MD, FCAP
Gregory J. Davis, MD, FCAP
Kelly C. Lear-Kaul, MD, FCAP
Moderator
Kim A. Collins, MD, FCAP