<p>I hate public speaking and would have major fears in regards to trial work etc. I think I could do it. I am in the preliminary stages of deciding if law is right for me. What fields of law are right for someone who likes one on one encounters and filing paperwork etc... immigration law, real estate law??? I wouldn't mind having to go to court every now and then. I just don't like public speaking and giving presentations. I need to get over this damn phobia. I think it is holding me back. It is pushing me towards a career in the health field.</p>
<p>You do not need to be an excellent public speaker to be a good lawyer. You do need to be able to communicate with your coworkers and clients in a concise manner. Most legal work is done outside of the courtroom so you can be a good lawyer without being a riveting speaker. In fact, most areas of the law will require only a limited amount of public speaking. The exception to this would be criminal law and some areas of litigation (anyone is free to add to this if they wish). Even in that area of the law there is a considerable amount of work done outside of any courtroom.</p>
<p>Presentations -- although rarely to large groups -- are an extremely important part of surviving training in a health field. Patients and attending physicians will both expect detailed explanations. Attendings in particular can be very demanding about these explanations, and they must be done at high speed, with very little preparation, and total accuracy.</p>
<p>Presentations to larger groups happen from time to time. Grand rounds, morbidity and mortality conferences, etc. involve presentations -- usually to thirty people or more. Research, as will be expected in an academic setting, most certainly involves presentations to large groups of people.</p>
<p>I wasn't really referring to just schooling. I have done a lot of presentations, and I could manage getting through it while training. I have had to make presentations to 150 plus people. I wouldn't say I'm bad at it. I just over prepare (spend too much time analyzing things) and it takes a toll on me mentally. I just don't want to be making presentations regularly for the next 20 or 30 years. I can handle it for a few years.</p>
<p>As mentioned, patient presentations are hardly the same as big talks for major corporations or courtroom closing speeches -- they are much smaller than those. But patient presentation will be an important part of medical training for perhaps thirteen years. And research-oriented places will expect that to continue throughout your career.</p>
<p>Still, it is probably better than litigation or some fields of business.</p>